The Way Forward
by Siancore
Summary: Michonne is finding it difficult to deal with her feelings for Rick. Will she push him away?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: I had some time on my hands this weekend, and I'm going through serious TWD withdrawals, so this is what I came up with. Enjoy!

Michonne lay naked and satiated in Rick Grimes' tent trying to catch her breath as he withdrew his length from her pulsating wetness. He removed his body from hers and placed his arm over her flat stomach. It was the third time that week that she and Rick had stolen away from the rest of the group to give into their desires. Life in the Settlement was busy, so they both took the opportunity for sexual release when they could. Which lately, Michonne noted, had been a frequent occurrence. The summer evenings were still quite warm and it was hotter still inside the small tent. Her soft skin damp with sweat; her sweat and Rick's sweat. They did not always have the luxury of sufficient time to fully undress when they would meet in secret, but tonight Carl was busy helping Daryl on the other side of the Settlement and Maggie was watching after Judith for a while.

"I should go," she said quietly after a few moments and began to reach for her discarded clothing.

"Why don't you stay a little while longer?" Rick asked, hopeful that she might actually agree to it his time.

"You know I can't," was her reply as she sat up and began to dress. She pretended not to see Rick's barely hidden disappointment as he pulled his arm away from her and searched the dimly lit tent for his own clothes.

It was not easy for Michonne to be open about her emotions. She found that emotions got in the way of things. Got in the way of getting things done, and she prided herself on being efficient. For a time she was content with her relationship with Rick Grimes being purely platonic. Then, when it shifted to a physical relationship, she was content with that as well. She could handle having sex with Rick every so often; it was the other stuff that she couldn't handle. The way that she would catch Rick staring at her on occasion. The way that he had begun to want to hold her after they had sex. How Rick was being increasingly gentle with her and started asking her to stay.

The first time they had been intimate was shortly after their escape from Terminus and their brief time on the road. After reuniting with Carol, Tyreese and Judith, the group had found the Settlement that was established on the grounds of a high school. Some survivors had set it up soon after the Turn and were offering sanctuary to others. It was safe and the people seemed to be alright. Everyone pulled their weight and there was always safety in numbers, but Rick and his group were still cautious and stayed close together, choosing to set up tents near the football field. In the beginning, Rick insisted that Michonne stay with him the children. She did until she secured her own tent. Another Moment of disappointment for him. Not long after, she and Rick went on a run together where they were almost trapped inside a roadhouse by a herd of walkers. She was not certain how it had come to the point where she was laid back on a table with no pants on while Rick stood with his pants around his ankles and his cock inside of her. Maybe it was the adrenalin, maybe it was the only moment that they had been alone in a long time. Whatever it was, it happened so quickly that it made Michonne's head spin. Back at the Settlement a few days later, Rick had approached her to talk about what had happened and they ended up having sex in one of the classrooms. From then on, it had become a regular thing for them. A nice way to blow off steam.

Rick felt a little irritated with Michonne presently. He noticed that she was quite happy to let him fuck her up against a wall, but as soon as he wanted to hold her or talk to her, she put distance between them. Maybe he had different ideas about their relationship than she did. He was never that good at relating to the opposite sex, and he was definitely not good at doing casual sex. He had initiated their first encounter those months ago. They had grown closer over the past year, and being on the road together had brought them closer still. There was always a sexual tension between Rick and Michonne. It was so tense at times that the air felt thicker around them. Others in their group noticed it too, but did not say anything. They did not think Rick would ever do anything about it. The man still wore his wedding ring. Besides, he didn't seem like the type of man that would sleep around. Yes, the world had changed, but for him some things did not.

They dressed in silence as Rick thought of something to say. He chose not to say anything. With his current mood, he knew whatever he said would come out harsh, he didn't want to pick a fight. He just wanted things to be different. He wanted to stop sneaking around, he wanted Michonne; he wanted her fully and in public. He wanted her to want him back. Not just for a while. Rick didn't know how to tell her that. Didn't know if he wanted to tell her that. He was feeling a little foolish, she obviously only liked him screwing her. Nothing else. He felt silly for even thinking that it would move past the sex, that they could make something of it. Move forward. Rick sighed as he studied her profile.

"I'll see you later," was all she said as she smiled and crawled out of the tent.

She did not like to have to seem so cold towards Rick, but she could not admit her feelings for him either; especially since she had decided to end whatever this was between them.

"Ain't you gonna tell your old man about your girlfriend?" Daryl Dixon asked a red-faced Carl as his father approached the two of them with Judith in his arms.

Rick squinted even though the afternoon sun was at his back.

"A girlfriend?" asked Rick with raised eyebrows and a smirk.

"Yeah, a little ginger-haired girl. The boy's in love! Hey Rick, might be time to give him the talk!" laughed Daryl as Carl screwed his face up and rolled his eyes.

Rick let out a chuckle.

"Soon he'll be moving his tent away from yours!" Daryl said as he pushed the boy's hat over his face.

"Oh whatever, Daryl!" was all Carl could say as he grabbed Judith and walked away with a slight grin on his face.

"So," started Daryl. "You gon' tell me who your girlfriend is?"

Rick looked at his friend confused. Daryl pointed to his own neck, then gestured to Rick's.

"You're a bit old now. Best leave the hickeys to Carl, yeah? Makes you look like a slut!" Daryl teased as he laughed.

He felt as if he had not seen her all day. Rick found Michonne at the rations store talking to the young man who was on duty that afternoon. Brett, if Rick remembered correctly, was leaning over the counter attentive to whatever Michonne was telling him. She did not see Rick approach, he smiled as he got closer, looking her up and down. He admired her physique. The only thing better than looking at her body was running his hands, lips and tongue over it. She was stunning to look at, but felt and tasted so much better.

Brett stood up straight as Rick got nearer and interrupted them.

"You got a sec?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, sure," was her reply.

They began walking towards the back of the schoolyard in silence. It didn't escape her notice that she had marked his skin slightly. Her mind wandered back to the previous night as she remembered their encounter. They had had time to really explore each other, to take it slowly. It was one of the longest times they had spent together and it felt very natural. Of course, when they were done and presented with the chance to simply be in each other's presence in an intimate way that did not involve intercourse, Michonne yet again pulled away from Rick.

"I'm leaving for a run in two days, would you be able to watch after the kids?"

Michonne snapped out of her thoughts and gave Rick a small smile.

"Yeah. I can do that. How long will you be gone?" she asked.

"A day or two. Pretty routine, but ya never know how these things will go."

She nodded her head in agreement

"Hey," Rick said quietly as he scanned the yard for other people then reached for her hand, giving in a gentle squeeze. "Thank you."

Michonne smiled sadly, nodded again, let go of his hand and walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for the reviews.

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The heat was beginning to make Michonne feel irritable, she could not get Judith to settle and it was suffocatingly stuffy inside of Rick's god forsaken tent. It actually seemed as if he had been gone on the run for a week, instead of two days. The small child was obviously fretting for her father and had still not become used to Michonne, mainly because Michonne had not spent more than 30 minutes at a time with her alone. _Why did he even ask me to look after Judith? She doesn't know me._ She thought to herself, frustrated as she took the baby outside into the evening air. Carl was following Daryl somewhere, or maybe he was following that girl he kept talking about, Michonne was not too sure. She wanted to help Rick out by doing him this favour, but it wasn't easy by any account. She hoped that they would return early in the morning. Not just to relieve her of her babysitting duties, but because she worried when Rick was on the outside. If she could have been there to have his back, she would have felt more at ease, but for now, she had his grumpy baby to see to. She would have her time with the grumpy daddy soon enough.

Michonne walked slowly around the Settlement with Judith on her hip. She would stop every so often to speak to other survivors; they were more interested in engaging in baby talk with Judith than speaking to Michonne, but she did not mind. Things were horrifyingly different now, but there was something that had remained beautiful and true, and that was the laughter of a child. She recalled that someone had said once that it is true that all things do indeed pass when a child's sadness gives way to laughter; Michonne supposed they were right. She knew all too painfully well that when _that_ laughter was gone, the world had lost something precious.

Some of the others wondered what had happened to the mother of the baby, but nobody ever asked. They must have recognized that it was obvious what had transpired; she must have died, because that's what people did these days, they died. A few survivors speculated about what was going on between Rick and Michonne, if they were in fact together. They had arrived at the Settlement together and it was observed that the woman stayed with the man and his children for a little while. They also noticed that she only really spent time with him, his son and sometimes with that other guy with the crossbow.

"Hey! Michonne," came the sound of the familiar feminine voice. "Wait up."

Michonne stopped and gave Sasha and her brother Tyreese a small smile.

"Rick still not back yet?" Sasha asked, looking uneasy.

Judith leaned toward them and reached her hands for the man; Michonne let him take the child and rock her while the three of them stood talking.

"I thought maybe they'd show up this afternoon, but nothing. If they don't show up tomorrow, screw it, Daryl and I are going to go look for 'em," Michonne answered. "I can't sit here on my ass and wait."

Sasha and Tyreese both nodded. They knew both she and Rick Grimes were close, just how close, they were not entirely sure of. Either way, their group looked out for each other, no matter what.

"It's only natural to be concerned. Hell, we've all been a little concerned. It's his first time out there without anyone from our group. I mean, how do we even know if those guys he left with are capable of watchin' his back properly?" asked Tyreese, with his face revealing a real and genuine alarm for the safety and wellbeing of their leader.

"Exactly," was Michonne's reply. "We don't know what their capabilities are. I just hate not knowing if he's okay, ya know what I mean? These overnight runs are the worst. It's not good for the kids when Rick is gone like this." _And me, it's not good for me… _She thought sorely.

"How's the baby been?" asked the young woman, trying to change the subject because she noticed the troubled look that her friend was wearing. Sasha made faces toward Judith, who smiled and giggled with sleepy eyes.

"Fretful. Hard to settle. She's not used to me and I think I'm no good with little girls," she replied, looking tired, smiling weakly.

They could not tell if she was serious about her last comment. They weren't even sure what that meant. Sasha took in Michonne's weary appearance and asked, "Have you eaten at all?"

"No," was the short answer.

"Come on, let's get you some food."

Michonne and Sasha sat on the soft ground near Rick's tent while Tyreese rocked Judith to sleep. There was some food that Sasha had procured, and Michonne picked at it slowly. How could she eat when Rick was out there in goodness only knows what kind of danger? She did not fully trust the group he had gone with to be strong fighters or be able to protect him if they needed to. Rick was resilient and a survivor; but things can change quickly when you have to place trust in people who you do not know very well. Rick, in all honesty, did not fully trust the new people they had met either, but he respected them, their rules and what needed to be done for the survival of the entire populace. Michonne's mind roved to any number of different scenarios that precipitated something bad because of the ineptitude of those he had left with. They would be lost if anything were to happen to him; eventually, they might be okay, but if it happened right now, it would hit them hard. Hershel was lost to them and they were more vulnerable because of his loss, and if Rick went as well, it would hurt their group and leave them exposed.

Michonne was feeling guilty about being distant with Rick lately. She knew herself and her own needs enough to recognize it was in an attempt to protect her feelings; her heart. Regrettably, all it did was look like she was acting cold towards him. She detected disappointment in his temperament and hurt in his eyes when she behaved in a detached manner. She knew it was a ploy; a slight subterfuge to hide what she was really feeling.

Afraid. Scared. Terrified. All of those things.

Yes, this is how she felt when she thought about Rick Grimes. Not because she was afraid of him, but because she was afraid of opening her heart up to him; for taking a chance. For allowing herself to feel love again, to care about someone again, to be a part of something special with a person whom she knew was so very special. Her heart had been shattered into a million tiny pieces before because she allowed herself to love and trust. Michonne did not know if she could take that kind of pain again. Maybe it was just better to avoid Rick all together; maybe she should simply run away; but what of him? His children? The group? No, she was committed to them, to their survival, but she knew of the pain that came with sharing yourself completely with another and the fear of losing that person. She wanted to be with Rick wholly, but she was afraid of being hurt, afraid that she could not endure the aching if some ill-fated lot should befall him. Michonne was struggling to move past this, in spite of herself and her feelings for the man. At this moment in time, the very real fear and memory of the agony she had known before was doing more to drive her away than Rick's tenderness was doing to draw her nearer.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, so glad people are enjoying this story. So, I re-watched some TWD DVD special features on the weekend, and the ever-charming Andrew Lincoln made a point that, in playing Rick Grimes, he wanted to show that nothing ever came easy for the man; all of his choices cost him, everything cost him. I guess that's what I'm trying to resonate here. He and Michonne being together is costing his emotional wellbeing at this point; he wants to move forward with their relationship, and she is holding back. They might just get there in the end, but the journey may be a little taxing. Anyways, time to check in with Rick. Enjoy!

* * *

The linoleum floor was actually not as uncomfortable as one might have thought it would be. Rick Grimes used his rucksack to cushion his head as he lay deep in thought, staring toward the ceiling of the small pharmacy floor. Several kerosene lanterns provided adequate, albeit weak light. Of the four other men, two were seated while the other two were laid out in the same manner as Rick; they spoke quietly about how they would proceed with their plan the following day. They were there to scavenge any medical supplies that they could find. Being settled in a fixed location, with a sizable group of around sixty-five people, meant that most of the surrounding areas were cleaned out of supplies long ago. The leaders of the Settlement group had to organize overnight runs to towns many miles away in order to obtain what the people needed. They were, at present, three towns away from the Settlement and, upon collecting what they had went there for, made the move to return to their camp in the early evening. At the ready, with their supplies secured and the long trip ahead of them, their truck had received a flat tyre. They agreed unanimously that it was too risky to try to change the tyre then, that they should wait until there was daylight and that they could stand to stay just one more night. The area was relatively safe, not too many walkers roaming endlessly, and it did not look like too much traffic had passed through that place in some time.

He hated being away from his family and his group, but there were things that Rick needed to do to be a productive member of the larger population. Being a strong and experienced fighter meant that he was, along with a few other survivors, often asked to go on the relatively infrequent overnight supply runs. The leaders of the Settlement had welcomed Rick and his group, so he thought it only right to assist them in any way that he could. They actually had a decent life at the camp; the people were okay and it was secure. That is exactly what his group needed. It was what he needed to look after his family properly. It also allowed him and Michonne to have the freedom to be intimate in ways that just were not feasible on the road. Rick was thankful that they had found this place, and he was doing everything that he could to ensure that his group was allowed to remain there.

Rick was thinking about his little family; he hoped that they were alright and that the children were behaving for Michonne. _Michonne._ Lately, his thoughts always turned to her. He noticed that she was really good with kids, not just his kids, but the other children at the camp as well. Rick smiled to himself when he thought about how different Michonne was when kids were around. She let down her guard and her whole body language changed; her stance was more open and she shared one of her exceptional and beautiful smiles in their presence. Rick rubbed his hand over his beard as he thought of how beautiful she was, another smile forming on his lips. He exhaled loudly and let the smile slip away and a sombre mood enveloped him. Occasionally, Rick found it almost unbearable to think about her, because it sometimes left him with a feeling of utter despair. Despair in knowing that Michonne was a rare gift that was placed in his life. Despair because she made him feel so completely happy and scared at the same time. It was sometimes unbearable to think of her because he knew that such beauty cannot last, especially in the world that they had inherited. She was like a glimpse into a wonderful eternity that he would have liked to make last over the whole expanse of time. But they did not have that kind of time. Nothing was promised. Nothing would last forever. Ultimately, the fact that she would someday be gone drove him to despair more than the impression she gave him that she did not reciprocate his feelings.

Hearty laughter forced Rick's mind from his sad thoughts of Michonne. He missed her more than he would like to admit, and was finding difficult not to let it contaminate his mood as of late. The other men detected that he was quiet and always in deep thought; Rick rarely joined in on their cheerful banter. He resigned himself to the fact that he was there to do a job, not to become best buddies with the men, all of whom were much younger than he was. In honesty, he did not think they really had too much to talk about. He was not keen to get in on the discussion about which type of man was he; tits, ass or both. He didn't even notice _other_ women anymore…

"Shit man," began Brandon, a young darkhaired man in his mid-twenties. He was addressing Rick. "There's some fuckin' fine looking women in your group."

"Hell yeah there are!" chimed in one of the others.

Rick realized they were speaking to him, he chortled half-heartedly and shrugged.

"Guess I ain't really noticed," was his reply, as he remained in the same reclined position, not bothering to look at the others.

"Piss off you ain't noticed? Don't bullshit me man. We all noticed," Brandon said, amused at Rick's reply.

They then went on to describe how _that lesbian got some nice tits; the skinny one is too much of a woman for that Asian guy; the Hispanic and black chick are fuckin' hot and would get it; the shorthaired one is still lookin' good for an old chick and would get it too; the one with the dreads got the nicest ass and must give the best fuckin' blow jobs with those nice lips._

"Hey," Rick said as he shifted into a sitting position. "Assholes, wanna show some fuckin' respect?"

He stared the four men down, with obvious disdain encompassing him. They stopped talking and laughing and turned to look at Rick, a little taken aback by his sudden statement.

"Jesus man, we're only joking 'round. No need to get all serious," offered one of them.

"I don't think disrespectin' women is a joke, 'specially when it comes to the women in my group," said Rick, looking from one man to the next.

Their faces dropped, the cheerful mood was extinguished by his abrupt scolding.

"Which one are you fuckin' then, uh Grimes?" asked the blonde man, Thom.

Rick focussed his gaze to the young man and squinted slightly. He could feel the ire rising from the pit of his stomach as his face began to feel hot. He stood and walked towards Thom, never breaking his gaze. The younger man stood as well and wore a look of cockiness that proved that he was either very bold or very stupid.

"I bet it's that black bitch with the sword. Tell you what, when she gets tired of you, send her my way so I can fuck that pretty mouth."

At hearing that, Rick saw red, his rage became evident in his face. Without thinking too much about consequences, he clenched his fist, swung his arm and connected with Thom's jaw. The young man went down to the floor with a heavy thud, as the others jumped to their feet to make a move on Rick. He quickly drew his gun and held it to Thom's head, stopping the others in their tracks.

"Back the fuck up!" Rick spat. "Or I'll blow noodles outta this motherfucker's head!"

They slowly backed away, trying to tell Rick to be cool and to put the gun away. Blood spilled from Thom's lip as he cowered at Rick's feet.

"I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean it. Please man, I…I, I'm sorry," he cried, with his eyes to the floor and sweat forming on his brow.

"Shut the fuck up!" Rick exclaimed, as he pressed his gun to the young man's temple.

"You ever disrespect the women in my group again, you ever talk about _her _again, or even so much as look in her direction, then the next person I'll be fuckin' is you!"

With that, Rick spat on the floor next to the bloodied and trembling man, walked backward with his gun still pointed at them, grabbed his rucksack and walked out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead, but if I did, Rick Grimes would get to call people 'motherfuckers' more often!

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Rick really is a gentleman, but as we've seen, can also be fierce when he needs to be. I wanted to make note of how much he actually does for his group, how he wants safety for them above all else. With all the weight of his responsibilities, he must find it hard to breathe sometimes. What a champ! Anyways, back to it…

* * *

The trip back to the Settlement was proving to be awkward and silent. After the previous night's altercation between Rick and Thom, everyone felt a bit on edge. Rick was still very annoyed at the young men. After everything that he and his group had been through, he was done with taking shit from people, _especially from some snot nosed little punks like these pricks, _he thought sourly. If they showed him and his respect then that was fair enough; that was all that he asked, but he would not tolerate contempt. He did not want, nor did he expect, Thom or Brandon or any of them to become "President of the Rick Grimes Fan Club". Hell, he didn't even give two shits and a flying fuck if they liked him; but they _would _respect him. Letting other people get away with disregarding him and his group had cost them dearly in the past; Rick was not about to let it happen again. There was too much at stake now, he had to be a strong leader, he could not pull any punches. Whatever happened after they got back to the camp, Rick would bear the brunt of the consequences alone; he had to put the needs of his people first.

Rick did not speak to any of the other men; he just sat staring out of the back passenger's window, with one hand on his side arm. He had spent the night in the truck, got up early and changed the flat tyre himself before the others were even awake. Rick was not in any mood to be stuck out here any longer than they already had been; he wanted to get back to his family.

Shortly before they had left, the other four men had come outside after the sun had risen enough to enable them to see clearly. They had wanted to sort their car troubles, and be on their way. Brandon spotted Rick Grimes leaning against the truck. _Shit_ thought the young man._I thought this asshole left_. He did not want to see a repeat of what had happened the night before. After Thom had stopped his pitiful sobbing and regained his composure, he became angry with Rick. Brandon and the others advised him not to engage the man further; _he was obviously unstable_, they had concluded. Best to wait and get back to the Settlement, Rick Grimes would be dealt with then.

Brandon nodded toward the older man, Rick acknowledged him then walked behind the truck, suddenly, he stopped and faced the group. The only thing he had said was directed at Thom.

"What happened before," he started, in his southern drawl. "What you said, what I said, I ain't gonna talk about it again, understand? Y'all ready? Let's go."

And with that, they left.

Meanwhile, back at the Settlement, Michonne was already up and about looking for Daryl just in case Rick and the supply run group did not return that day. She had a bad feeling that something had gone wrong, and wanted to go and find them. With Judith on her hip and an air of purpose in her step, she found Daryl over by one of the fences that needed to be repaired.

_Psst…_Daryl turned around.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Will you be ready later if they don't come back today?"

"You know it," he replied, walking over to where she stood holding the small child. Daryl dusted his hands on his jeans and took Judith from Michonne's arms.

"Hey, Lil' Asskicker, don't fret, your daddy will be back soon, okay," he said, placing a sweet kiss on Judith's head as she leaned into his chest.

"And don't you go frettin' too much either, girl," he said to Michonne, and smiled slightly at her.

She returned his gesture and kind words with a weak smile of her own. She had come to accept that Daryl most likely knew that their relationship entailed that she and Rick were more than just friends; that they had feelings for one another, anyone who spent five minutes with the pair of them could see it. It seemed they were the only ones who were in denial about it. All the same, Daryl knew it was difficult for them to give voice to those feelings, so he just let them sort through what they needed to do and did not raise the issue with them. He was happy for Rick and Michonne, and hoped that they could find a way to be openly happy with each other.

"Michonne?"

She turned around to see Carl standing behind her; a very real seriousness had covered his expression that made her feel faintly sad for him. It could not be easy growing up in this world; every so often Michonne would try to do things with Carl to remind him of what it meant to be a kid. Playing silly little games or talking about their beloved comic books. While he had to grow up faster than he normally would have before all of this happened, it was still important for the boy to remember who he was. She wanted Carl to, at the very least, have some good memories as well.

"Hey you. Everything alright?" she asked, a tenderness washing over her.

Carl went and sat beside her on the ground while Judith lay on a blanket in the shade of the tree, chewing on a toy that someone had brought back from a run for her.

"My dad's been gone too long, right?" he said sadly, distractedly plucking some grass from the ground and tossing it aside. "They should've been back by now."

Michonne exhaled deeply; it was true, the sun was high in the sky now and Rick and the others should have actually returned the previous night.

"Yeah, you're right. It's been too long. Let's just hope they show up soon," was all she could muster at that moment, she did not want Carl to feel too upset. These things happened, people caused you to worry, but he had to learn to keep his head up. He was a tough kid and she hoped that he could remember to be gentle as well, but mostly she hoped that he could adapt and cope with whatever obstacles were thrown in front of him. He had managed well so far.

"Why don't you take your sister for a walk? Kill some time while we wait for your dad. Shouldn't be too much longer now."

Carl nodded in agreement and quickly scooped up Judith. Michonne watched them walk away.

Michonne still felt pangs of guilt rising up from deep inside of her. She still felt bad about acting coldly towards Rick before he had left. Now, she feared, she may never get the chance to tell him what she was really feeling. In an attempt to protect her own emotional state, she knew she had hurt Rick and his. Now, she had no way of being sure if she would ever see him again, if she would ever have the chance to make things right between them. If she would ever get to feel his hot breath on her skin again; to taste him on her lips once more; to feel him inside of her another time; to let him hold her into the night; to have him place soft caresses on her body; to wake up beside him, safe and happy in his strong, loving embrace. She had been foolish to try to push him away. Rick could be lost to her forever, she had come to realize that now; now that he was out there in the uncertainty of the outside world.

"Hey! 'Chonne!" yelled the familiar sound of Daryl's voice.

"They're back!"

Michonne jumped to her feet and ran toward the front gate where the truck that had left two days ago was being let through; a group of other worried survivors were already amassed there. She squinted her eyes to see if they were all there; to see if Rick was there. _Fuck. _She thought, as she approached the vehicle that had come to a halt and the men got out. _I can't see him._ Her heart sank and her breathing quickened as panic set then, a tired and annoyed looking Rick, rucksack slung over his shoulder, vacated the back seat of the truck. Their eyes met, as his look softened as he began to walk toward her. Michonne, out of relief that he had returned, rushed forward and threw her arms around his neck. She pulled Rick into a tight hug, and then, not caring who was around to see them, forcefully pressed her lips to his. Rick took a second to realize what was happening, before he let his rucksack fall to the ground as he wrapped his arm around Michonne's slender waist, pulled her flush against him and deepened their kiss.

Carl finally arrived at the scene with Judith. He was surprised to see his father and Michonne locked into a passionate embrace, but was happy that they had admitted what he had suspected for some time now; that they were more than just friends. Michonne reluctantly broke their embrace as she heard Daryl Dixon's wolf whistle and turned to see Carl, Judith and the others approaching. Rick dropped to his knee and held his children. The others all welcomed him back and patted his shoulder, hugged him or shook his hand. They all then began to unpack the medical supplies from the truck, as Rick, holding Judith with one arm, and the other placed across Carl's shoulder began to walk to where their tents were set up. Michonne went to help the others unpack, but heard Rick call out to her.

"Michonne? You comin'?" he asked as he gave Thom a distrustful look.

She turned to Daryl and said, with a grin on her face: "I gotta go."

Michonne sprinted up to where Rick and the children were waiting for her, and took his rucksack for him. They were all in such high spirits that no one even noticed the look of disdain that had come across the face of the young blonde man, Thom.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead, if I did there would be more adult situations!

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews; they made me smile and have a little laugh to myself. So, in this instalment we have some joking, teasing and adult situations. Enjoy!

Carol and Tyreese had prepared dinner for their group that evening, to welcome Rick back after a dangerous run. They had a canvas covering a makeshift kitchen and some picnic tables set up just beside the cooking area. Some people, mainly the women in their group, sat at the tables, while the men were happy to take up a place on the ground. The evening was quite pleasant; not as hot as the previous one and a slight breeze allowed the survivors to feel comfortable while they ate, laughed and enjoyed each other's company. Rick spoke quietly to Daryl, while the others all seemed too engrossed in their own conversations to notice the seriousness of his tone.

"We got into some shit on that run." Rick said quietly to Daryl, leaning in so that no one else could hear them.

"What happened, man?"

"Got into a fight with that asshole Thom, the others tried to jump in so I drew my gun on 'em."

Daryl raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"What the fuck? Why were y'all fightin'?" asked his friend, wearing a concerned expression.

"He's a disrespectful little prick. They were talkin' shit about the girls. You know, like making sexual comments about 'em. _He_ was being a real little shit. I called him out on it, he got in my face, so I dropped him."

Daryl nodded, understanding Rick did what he had to. Knowing that Rick would defend the women in their group.

"I don't trust him, I got a feelin' he might try somethin'. Daryl, I put my gun to his head, he ain't gonna let that go; no way. The kids are gonna stay with Carol tonight, will you stay close to them? I don't think it's safe for 'em to be around me right now."

"Of course, man, whatever you need. Maybe you shouldn't be alone either, just to be safe."

At that suggestion Rick instinctively looked to where Michonne was sitting with Carl; Daryl's eyes followed his line of sight and he snickered.

"Right, right. I forgot, you won't be alone tonight, will ya? You got sexy samurai takin' care of that ass!" He said, not being able to hold back the laughter. Rick was amused with his joking, but at the same time knew very well that Michonne was going to be by his side.

Rick dropped his head, let a wide grin play on his face and looked back at his friend and mouthed _fuck you._

_I love you too_ was what Daryl mouthed back as the seriousness of the mood was lifted for a moment while they joked around.

After mealtime, Judith and Carl went to stay with Carol. Carl made a little protest, but the previous solemn mood his father was in made him realize not to push him too much; he would let it go for the night. Michonne was clearing up the table when Rick sidled up beside her.

"Hey, can we talk?" he asked Michonne as she looked to Maggie, whom she was helping, for approval to leave.

"It's fine, I got this." Maggie said cheerfully, and bid them goodnight.

Michonne nodded toward their friend and placed the stack of plates that she had in the tub of water. They walked toward Rick's tent as he explained what had transpired out on the run between him and the other men. She was immediately worried for his safety, fearful that the others would look for retaliation, but she did not want Rick to be weighed down by it tonight; she wanted to take his mind off it. Coming to a stop, she faced him and asked, in a flirtatious manner.

"Rick Grimes, were you defending my honor?"

He smiled widely, "Yeah, I guess I was."

He stepped closer to her, looking serious now and said, "I don't want some other guy talkin' about you that way. Thinkin' about you that way. Hell, I don't even want him lookin' at you. Him, any other guys, other girls, whoever, from now on they don't get to look at you."

Michonne swallowed hard as she stared at the man before her, letting her gaze fall to his mouth. His slight possessiveness was a turn on for her, even though she was surprised by it. She smiled and chortled a little.

"You can't stop people from lookin' at me, Rick." She said softly, as she used both hands to smooth the front of his shirt out.

"Hmm, I dunno Michonne. I think my gun says otherwise." He grinned roguishly, tapping his hand to the Colt that was in its holster.

"Stop." She let out, somewhat amused by his reply and enjoying their repartee. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours.

"What do you suggest I do, uh? Just hide out in your tent all day?" She asked quietly, teasingly.

Now he laughed, stepping closer and rubbing his hands up and down her upper arms. "You can stay in my tent for as long as you like."

She beamed playfully at him, rapped her fingers on his chest then turned her body from him.

"So," She offered as she began to walk away from Rick, then looked over her shoulder at him, asking in a confident tone. "We're having a sleepover tonight?"

"Sure," was his reply. "But you've got a long night ahead of you and won't be gettin' much sleep."

As Rick slid his rough hand between Michonne's legs, he was pleasantly surprised to find that she was already wet for him. Their already discarded clothes thrown in a pile in the corner of Rick's tent, and their naked bodies, by this time, yearning for each other; all hot and wet and sweet and aching. He felt his hardness stir as he dipped two fingers into her opening and heard her breath hitch. She pulled his hand away as she captured his mouth with hers and shifted her position so that she was straddling Rick's lap as he was seated. She did not break their kiss as his hands came to rest on her round bottom, trying to urge her sweet centre toward his aching member so that he could be buried in her tight, wet warmth. Michonne kneeled so that she was positioned over Rick, forcing his head to tilt back as she hungrily continued to kiss him. A little roughly and to his dissatisfaction, she broke the kiss and ever so forcefully pushed him until he was flat on his back, lips swollen and panting; a wicked grin crossing his face. He tried to reach for her, to cup her breast or stroke her mound, but she quickly grabbed his hands, and placed them at his side. He complied with her wishes and was happy to lay there staring at her perfect, naked form; his cock hard and thick just for her. Michonne ran her own hands over his chest and torso; she leaned forward and placed kisses on his scars gently, lovingly. She then moved her mouth over to his nipple and slowly licked it; she trailed kisses all the down his stomach. She finally reached his hardness and took him between both of her hands, firmly grasping his length. She returned one hand to his abdomen and continued to run her fingers over his flat stomach, as her other deft hand pulled the length of his cock upward in slow, teasing motions. Rick felt his body respond to her touch and could not hold back the most devilishly delightful sound she had ever heard. She rubbed his thickness over and over; again and again, happy with the delicious moans that were escaping from his throat. She stopped her motions, causing his eyes to open, and slowly brought her lips to the tip of Rick's hot, hard cock. He suddenly felt the wet sensation of Michonne's mouth and skilful tongue on his most sensitive area as she used her lips and hands to elicit even deeper moans and heavier breathing from him.

_"__Fuck."_ He breathed out hoarsely as she used her teeth to lightly and playfully alternate between nibbling and licking the length of his hardness. She was absolutely insatiable and in control; she even allowed his hand to come to a rest at the back of her head. Michonne then used her plump lips to wrap around Rick's already dripping tip and sucked him harder still as her tongue darted over the opening at the end of his cock. Rick tasted salty as he quivered and huskily whispered her name. Just as Rick thought he would be pushed over the edge by her adept mouth, Michonne stopped what she was doing to him. He groaned because he knew exactly what she was aiming for, bringing him to the brink, then easing off to prolong his pleasure. She really was skilled at lovemaking and knew just what his body liked.

Rick realized then that he was going to be the one with the long night ahead if Michonne kept her teasing up.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: Firstly, I'm very excited having seen the S5 trailer for TWD! It looks great; I can hardly wait until October! Also, how hot did Danai Gurira look at SDCC? She is the most stunningly beautiful woman I have ever seen *fans myself*. Anyways, before I pass out, thanks for the reviews; so glad you liked the previous chapter (deep down in your pants LOL).

Now, a few responses:

literacturechick: Rick and Daryl are great friends. I love Daryl's playful banter that surfaces in the show (especially the line from S3x1: "While the others wash their panties, let's go huntin'. That owl didn't exactly hit the spot." He's quite funny when you listen to him.

Lanie: to answer your question, which made me smile, I'm a teacher by trade, so realistically, I don't have the time to be writing – but, it's my guilty pleasure, and I'm obsessing over Michonne at the moment (total girl crush).

Alex311: I could barely type it when I was imaging how it would happen!

KyannaLashae: thank you for the lovely compliment, you are too kind!

Anyways, back to it: this is the one in which we get some insight into _why_ Michonne kept trying to push Rick away; and where the proverbial asshole Thom makes his move. Enjoy!

Michonne never realized how nice it would feel, waking up in his arms. She had distanced herself so much from him in the past few weeks that she was never presented with the opportunity to do so. She was the person to blame for this because she actively declined Rick's offers to spend the entire night with him. Now that she had finally woken up beside Rick, resting on his arm, while the other arm was draped possessively across her body, in that moment in the calmness of the dawn, she did not imagine that she would want to wake up any other way. She moved slightly and carefully, trying not to wake him, and positioned herself so that she might look upon his face while he slept.

Rick Grimes breathed softly, deep in sleep in the pale morning light. She thought he looked so peaceful, his face not stricken with worry or dread; just touched with peace and tranquillity in the early morning hours. She examined his features closely, taking note of every single line that patterned his handsome face. He actually looked much younger while he was asleep, she noticed it before when they were on the road, but now, up close, she could see the difference; he did not seem plagued by the terrible nightmares anymore. She imagined he had come to terms with this existence, with all of the horrors that had occurred and he had witnessed. She remembered the first time she saw him, which felt like so long ago, when he was standing at the fence of the prison just staring at her in disbelief; a look of confusion etched across his features. Only later did she come to understand that he had been hallucinating; seeing things, seeing people. She must have seemed like a haunting spectre standing there at that fence, beaten and bloodied, surrounded by walkers and holding the baby formula.

Afterwards, when she came to know Rick some more, she realized that he was tormented because of loss in similar ways that she had been tormented. She had learned to hide her emotions so that they did not surface and become manifest in her physical form; as a readable expression, a giveaway clue into what lie at the core of her deepest pain and suffering. But with Rick, from the start she could see the anguish in his expression; the worry, terror, sadness and pain was all there in his face. The confusion and fear was there, when he was seeing things. Even his frustrations at being the leader of his people were all evident in the expression he wore; Rick was like an open book to her. While he did not always _say _what he was feeling, Michonne could see it as plain as day written across his face. _Memories, bad memories, like ink on a page._

She thought back to what he looked like before the downfall of everything they had recognized, identified with and celebrated. She had not known Rick before the world had ended, but she had seen a photograph of him, his wife and Carl, the photograph that she helped rescue so long ago. What a difference this world had made on his appearance. He looked young back then, he was smiling…and happy. She sighed and sat up. Michonne did not imagine that she could make Rick happy like that, especially in this day and age; with all of the uncertainty, ugliness and death. She wanted to make him smile, but she feared that all she would do was bring him pain. Pain that he did not deserve; he was such a good man, he deserved to be with someone who could make him happy, not someone he felt he needed to protect and worry about. Someone who made it easier for him to survive in this world, not someone who would slow him down. _Listen to yourself, _she thought. _You're acting like he cares enough about you to be hurt if anything happened. They never love you enough, Michonne. They always like you for a while, use you up and then throw you away. They never love you enough._

The previous day, she had missed him so much and had feared she would never see him again. She let her emotions overwhelm her. She allowed a level of intimacy that she was sure would only make their inevitable separation all the more difficult for her. _Shit. _She thought. _What are we even doing here?_ She exhaled deeply, sadly; annoyed with herself for letting her mind ruin and contaminate the nice moment she was having watching Rick sleep, and annoyed for actually believing they could move forward, together. Her doubts always found a way to creep back in. She wiped a tear that had escaped her eye and rolled down her face.

Disheartened by her own doubts about Rick's true intentions towards her, as well as her own self-worth, she began to dress slowly, readying herself to sneak off before he was roused. It was too late; Rick began to stir next to her. He opened his eyes, yawned and blinked several times in rapid succession as he became accustomed to the light; he focussed his gaze on Michonne and smiled brightly, almost lovingly, she thought sadly.

"Hey." He said gruffly, clearing his throat before sitting up and placing a gentle kiss to Michonne's bare shoulder as he absentmindedly rubbed her back.

"Good morning." She replied, a slight smile gracing her beautiful face, one that did not reach her eyes; it did not escape his notice as she slipped her tank top over her head.

"What's going on? Where are you going?" He asked his brow furrowing and eyes narrowing. She closed her eyes and exhaled loudly, wearing a pained expression.

"Hey, hey. Look at me." He urged, gently cupping her chin to turn her face towards him. "Were you just gonna take off without wakin' me?"

She looked into his eyes, and then looked away; there was a spot on the tent covering that seemed particularly interesting to her at the moment as she avoided his gaze.

"Maybe," she whispered. "I don't know, Rick. I mean, what is this?" She used her hand to gesture between them.

Rick looked confused, the day before, he was certain she was ready to move forward; she had openly embraced him in front of their friends and his children, she had spent the entire night with him and fell asleep in his arms. What was the issue now?

"What d'ya mean, Michonne? I thought we were okay? After yesterday, _last night._ I thought you were ready to be with me." He stated, feeling let down. He tried to think of a reason as to why she might not be ready. He knew she was not at all a selfish person, so it had to be something to do with an outside influence, or Rick himself. He thought a moment longer, slightly annoyed that she would not look at him.

"Is this because of those assholes from the run?" He asked, as he pulled on his undergarments and trousers, and at the same time tried to get her to look at his face. "Michonne!" He spoke a little louder now, frustration evident in his voice.

"No!" She raised her voice as well as she turned to him. "Maybe, I don't know!" She felt deflated now, just as he did. "It's just that, you could get hurt, and it's because of me! I don't want to be that person; I don't want you to have to worry about _me_. I don't want you to be in pain 'cause of me. I'm not worth it."

He furrowed his brows even more as he quietly listened to what she had to say.

"And I don't know what the hell this is that we're doing, but I don't know if I _can _do it."

Rick exhaled loudly, closed his eyes and rubbed his hand across his beard. He was beginning to become anxious. S_he's trying to tell me to fuck off, _he thought.

"What are you trying to say? Just fuckin' spit it out!" He did not mean for his words to come out as angry as they did, but he was tired of her giving him a little piece of hope that they could be together, then snatching it away from him again.

"I'm not good enough for you, Rick." She said in a defeated, plaintive way. "Not for the long run. _This," _she pointed to herself and to him. "This is just you getting your dick wet. I'm never going to be good enough. Don't put yourself in danger because of me." She could almost hear her mother's words; _useless; no good; slut; no one will ever love you…_

Michonne was visibly upset by now. She brought her knees to her chest and hugged them as she turned her head away from Rick, so he would not see her tears. She was not used to people treating her kindly and showing her affection. Her life had been one heartache after the other. The only joy she had found recently was when she let Rick and his children into her life. She could not handle it, did not know how to deal with it; and now that she had opened up to the possibility that she and Rick could be together, it frightened her. She was afraid of so many things; afraid that he would get hurt because of her and his children would be left fatherless; afraid that he would hurt her; afraid that he didn't really mean it when he held her so close and kissed her so softly; afraid that she was in love with him and he was faking it, just using her. She reverted to what she knew best, and that was to blame herself anytime someone hurt her. Was it always going to be how her mama said it would be, she would be alone, and it would be her fault? Like when her daddy hurt her, it was her fault; when Mike hurt her, it was her fault; when Andre died, it was her fault because she was not good enough to have something wonderful and beautiful in her life.

"Don't say those things." He whispered and placed his hand to her back. "Why would you even say those things?" Rick asked sadly, he really loathed to see her like this. In fact, he had rarely seen her like this; vulnerable and unsure of herself.

"Because I don't know any other way." She said, through her tears.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay." He said gently, in a hushed tone as he brought his arm around her shoulder. "Please, tell me what I did wrong. We can fix it."

"It's not you, Rick. You're a good person. It's me. I'm just scared. You're so good to me, sometimes I think I don't deserve it. I don't deserve you. I'm scared that something bad will happen to you." She paused, and a distant look played on her features

"People who said they've cared about me before just used me and hurt me and I'm scared that you're just playin' around with me too. I…"

He stopped her before she could get the next sentence out.

"Don't think that way. This thing here, whatever it is between us, I'm committed to it; I'm committed to you. You're not some game I'm playin'. I'm serious about you; I thought you would've known by now. I can't help the way I feel when I'm with you, I can't help it that I wanna protect you and keep you close to me. You make me wanna be a good person, keep on bein' a decent person. Don't ever think like that about yourself, Michonne. Don't ever think I'm using you."

There was a moment of silence between them as Michonne gazed to the ground and considered Rick's words.

"I'm sorry people have hurt you in the past. I'm so sorry if I've hurt you, if I've scared you. If I've come on too strong. I understand now. I didn't mean to make you feel pressured into bein' with me…"

"No," she interrupted, her eyes serious and locked on to his. "I've never felt pressured, you've never forced me to do anything I didn't wanna do." She looked into his eyes as he used his hand to wipe away her tears. She shuffled a little closer to Rick, and leaned against him as he drew her into an embrace. He carefully and slowly pulled her to his chest as he lay back down, holding her and rubbing her back soothingly.

"It's okay to be a lil' scared, sometimes it shows how much we care. Can you hear my heart thumpin' in my chest?" He asked her. She shifted her head slightly as she heard his heart beating a fraction too fast for what was a normal pace.

"It's racin' because I'm scared. I'm scared I'm never gonna get the chance to show you how much you mean to me. I'm scared I'm gonna lose you before you're even really mine…"

Now he felt sadness overwhelm him, as he trailed off. This was the first time they had been so open with each other about their emotional state, and he was not sure if he was saying what he wanted to say properly and in a way that would not drive Michonne further away from him. Rick meant everything he had said to her; he could see now that she did not have highest opinion of her own worth, her own merit. He had seen it before, heard women speak like that before in his old life; when he was working domestic and family violence cases or cases where someone had been abused. He felt a quick heat of white rage form in his stomach as he thought briefly about the unknown people whom she said had hurt her before; what they might have done to her. He would not ask, if she wanted to tell him about it, he would be patient and wait. He was already afraid of losing her and he was afraid that she would never know the depths of his feelings for her, how much he truly did care. He was happy to be holding her at that moment, and to try to give her some reassurances that it was normal to feel a slightly scared when you put your heart on the line.

"It's hard out here on your own," he continued, her head still resting on his chest and her arm thrown over his bare abdomen. "It's good to have someone to make you feel less like you're alone all the time. You don't make me weaker or more vulnerable; you don't put me in danger, you make me stronger. We're stronger together, you gotta see that, Michonne." He said, almost pleading with her, certain that she was taking in what he was saying. Hoping that she would see things as he did, that she was indeed worthy, that she deserved to be happy just as much as he did; that they could find a way forward, together.

She lifted her head, and stared into his eyes.

"I see it now, Rick." She whispered. She believed him; she knew he was telling the truth. Just as she knew the weight that he carried, the pain he had endured; it was all there, written across his expression and evident in his eyes. She wiped her tears, offered him a weak smile and placed a chaste kiss to his lips before she returned to rest her head against his chest and listened to the strong beating of his heart.

The Council that oversaw the running of day-to-day business at the Settlement was situated in the administration building of the school. They were having their weekly Security Meeting to ascertain the ongoing viability of staying in the Settlement. The Security Teams were reporting that no real threats were to be feared and that the grounds themselves still remained safe for all that lived there.

"Excuse me," started the young man. "These guys have a security threat to report." As he ushered in the four men who had only just returned from the medical supply run the day before; they stood in front of the Council, waiting to be asked to speak. John, a man in his late fifties and the unofficial main leader of the Settlement looked to the men and said, "Alright, state your business."

"There's a dangerous person livin' here. He assaulted Thom while we were on the supply run, and he pulled his gun on the rest of us when we tried to help." Offered Brandon, ensuring his tone sounded fearful.

"Who is it, and why didn't you come to us yesterday?" Council member Melanie asked, looking concerned and somewhat bewildered. They had had some unsteady, undesirable types staying in the Settlement before. While they could not do anything about the character of a person, they could do something if physical violence or a threat had occurred.

"He threatened to kill us while we were asleep if we told anyone. We only decided to come to y'all this mornin' because he didn't try anythin' on us last night. It was Rick Grimes; he's unstable. He tried to kill us!" Screeched Brandon, acting as panic-stricken as seemed genuine.

John looked from Brandon to Thom and noticed that he had some bruising to his jaw and that his lip was split, a decidedly fresh wound. The older man's face became serious. He observed Thom, with narrow eyes and asked, "Is this true, son?"

"Yeah, dad. It's true." Said Thom to his father as his head dropped and his gaze fell to the floor.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: Thanks for the reviews and messages and to everyone who is reading my musings; it is always much appreciated.

A few responses:

TheRealSusannahDean: Yes, our beloved Michonne is hard on herself sometimes; she needs to take strength in knowing that people actually do love her. So many feels indeed! Lol

Amrcncpprhd &amp; literacturechick: It is really nice when they are on the same page and get their feelings across; I think Rick is a man of integrity and he would not have let her walk away upset without trying to find out _what _was really going on. Also, Thom's father could be troublesome…Hmm we shall see.

Lanie_Love: That's awesome! It's not really a common name. I actually met a girl with a nice face named Melanie, so I used her name lol I find inspiration in weird places!

Nin &amp; Alex311: Thank you! You really do flatter me. I'm just glad you are enjoying my writing!

Now, where were we? Oh yes, the one where Rick Grimes' fate hangs in the balance and the conversation becomes focussed on Michonne's butt. Enjoy!

The whirring sound of the arrow cut through the morning air as it swiftly and accurately found its target; the hideously rotted head of a slight but lanky walker. It fell to the ground in an unceremonious manner as Daryl Dixon pulled another arrow from his quiver to drop yet another walking corpse. A small group of them had breached the perimeter earlier in the morning and were discovered chewing through some of the livestock that the survivors had been raising; all but a few of the animals had been lost. Now Daryl, Michonne and Tyreese were dispatching them quite efficiently as a few others made their way on the scene.

"What happened here?" Asked Charles, a stocky man in his late 40s with a receding hairline and a missing front tooth.

"Breached the fence just over there." Ty answered, a little short of breath as he motioned to the fence where Rick was mending the damaged section. Michonne cut down the last walker and flicked the blood from her sword and examined it.

"How?" Charles asked, looking concerned and annoyed at the same time. Rick fastened the last section of fence with wire, removed his gloves and walked over to where the group was talking to the man with all the questions.

"We're not sure of _how._" Offered Rick, staring at Charles and sounding annoyed himself. "But shit, it happens. Gotta be vigilant, keep an eye out for these things."

The older man looked at Rick seemingly exasperated at the way he had been spoken to. Not too many of the men in the Settlement particularly liked Rick Grimes; they found it peculiar that, while he and his group were part of the larger group, there was still _his group._ Some had spoken scornfully about how Rick and the others had been at the Settlement long enough and should have assimilated into the wider population forthwith. They camped away from the others; they ate with their own; and they had an odd and mainly exclusive allegiance with one another. It was very difficult to infiltrate their ranks; yes they were friendly, would smile and make conversation, but they were very reserved and wary of whom they let in. As far as they knew, Rick was the only one from their group that actively participated in a supply run without another member of his group present. It was almost as if he did not trust the survivors at the Settlement with his people, they often thought, sneering behind his back. He was obviously the alpha-male of their group; the leader. His people trusted his judgement and fell in line with what he said. He had an air of authority, and the others had heard that he was a police officer in his former life; they guessed that some people never really lost their persona, not entirely. His woman, the one with the sword, was the strongest fighter of the women, so it was only natural that she be with him; and his children were still alive, which was not a common occurrence in this new existence, so he had to be a fierce and strong protector. Rick kept pretty much to himself, the others had surmised, and he seemed to like it that way.

"I'll go up to the Council and let 'em know about the breach." Said Charles as he began to walk away.

"Hold up!" Called Daryl. "I'll come too."

"Oh, there ain't no need, I got this." Replied Charles, not bothering to stop.

"With respect," started Rick, causing Charles to halt and turn to face the group. "You weren't here to take care of the walkers _or_ the fence, Daryl was. I know we'd feel a whole lot better if he went to deliver the report to the Council." Stated Rick, his whole demeanour exuded control and command. His eyes emanated a stern, cold expression as he looked at the older man. He made Charles feel edgy, they had heard how long he and his group were out on the road and some of the troubles that they had faced. This Rick Grimes was all about business, he was shrewd and calm, almost to the point of it being uncomfortably uneasy to be around him when he was focussed on you, thought Charles. He did not want to argue with this man, so he agreed to take Daryl along to the meeting. Although, all he did was point Daryl in the general direction of where the Council's security meeting was currently being held, and walked off in a distinctly worse mood than he had been in before.

_Asshole,_ thought Daryl, as he approached the administration building. After he had spoken to the usher at the door, Daryl was seated and waited alone a short while in the corridor, tapping his right foot as he crossed his arms over his chest; he chuckled a little to himself as he remembered what it had felt like to be waiting outside the principal's office. Suddenly, the door flung open and out stepped four men, Daryl recognized them as being the same ones who were on the supply run with Rick. They looked at him with smug expressions on their faces, and stared him down. Daryl, not one to shy away from a bunch of pretentious pricks, returned their stares and proceeded to spit on the floor where they had just stepped. He smiled a haughty grin at them, and watched them walk out the door. _This place is full of assholes, _he thought as he waited patiently to be seen by the Council members.

Michonne sat with Carl at one of the picnic tables while they ate lunch, she vaguely thought that they should drag it to the shade of the tree where Rick sat feeding Judith and watching Michonne. The sun was particularly hot and relentless that day, and the boy had his hat pulled low to his face as he looked anxious to get back to his duties. Michonne wondered if that girl had anything to do with his quiet mood, she grinned and playfully tossed some scraps of food at him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, returning her smile. "You don't work the garden in the heat to be wastin' food!"

"Ha! That's all you talk about these days Carl, the garden! Tell me, what's so exciting about the garden, uh? Can't be the plants, must be the company." She quipped, knowing that a certain young girl also worked the garden with Carl. Rick smiled, listening to their exchange.

The boy's face turned red, but not from the heat; he knew she was talking about Shelly. He thought of something he could say to get back at her for teasing him. His father was close by and obviously heard what they were talking about, it was embarrassing enough that Rick gave Carl funny looks whenever the girl giggled at something the boy had to say, now Michonne was starting to tease him too.

"Oh well, if you must know," started Carl wearing a smug look. "It's good working the garden, the people are nice, aren't they dad?" He offered, drawing Rick into their conversation. Rick grinned and nodded as Michonne gave him a wink. "But Michonne, we all can't work the rations store like you and, what's his name? The one who always stares at your butt? Brett, that's him; he must have a good day's work staring at your butt all day!"

"Carl!" Rick reprimanded, the smile dropping from his face. "Knock it off!"

"What?" Exclaimed the boy. "It's true! He stares at her butt all the time! God! It's okay for you guys to tease me, as soon as I say something it's like I killed someone!"

"Just stop talkin' about Michonne's ass, Carl. It's not nice!" Said Rick, a serious look on his face.

"I'm not talking about her ass, dad! I'm talking about Brett staring at her ass! God I can't say anything!"

"Watch your mouth, Carl!"

"Rick," Michonne interjected "It's fine, really, it is. Besides, no one stares at my ass, at least I don't think they do."

"He does though!" Carl interrupted again, looking annoyed that no one believed him and that he was in trouble from his dad for even bringing it up.

"Okay, okay. Maybe he does, but how about let's not talk about my ass anymore?" She said, hoping to calm down the situation before Rick took his frustrations about the young man gawking at her out on his son. She stood and squeezed Carl's shoulder in a loving manner, as a way to silently apologize to him for his father being short with him. She went over to where Rick was seated, with Judith playing in front of him and flopped down beside him.

"Anyways," she began. "I'd much rather talk about your butt, Rick."

At that, Michonne leaned in and gave Rick a quick kiss to his lips and let her head rest on his shoulder. A smile returned to Rick's face. Carl rolled his eyes at the two of them.

"Eww, do you have to make out in public all the time? God, old people are so gross! I have to go, see you later."

All Rick and Michonne could do was chuckle as they watched Carl stomp off in the direction of the garden.

"I guess I should get goin' too." She said, her head still on his shoulder as his arm lay possessively across her lap. "Brett's gonna start wondering where I am."

"Let the little shit wonder." Rick snorted with derision, wanting very much to have a small conversation with this Brett.

Just then, two large, armed and serious looking men briskly walked by an oblivious Carl to where Rick and Michonne were sitting in the shade of the tree.

"Grimes." One of them said, in a stern standoffish manner. "The Council members want to see you, right now."

Michonne sat up straight and asked "What's this about?"

"Don't you worry 'bout that, sweetheart." The other man jeered, and placed a hand to his side arm.

Rick stood up as Michonne, grabbing Judith, followed his actions.

"Don't make a scene now, Grimes. Just come with us, ain't nothin' gonna happen if you just come with us."

Michonne's eyes widened as she looked nervously at Rick. His expression stayed neutral, his chest heaving as his breathing quickened, and anger rose from within. He contained it well, he could not afford to let his rage put Judith and Michonne in any immediate danger. He kissed Judith's head and looked Michonne directly in the eyes.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm gonna go with 'em."

She shook her head and grabbed his arm, dread evident in her expression. She looked sad and worried, and that hurt him.

"Please," he whispered. "Don't follow us, stay here and watch after the kids, I'll go and see what they want. It's okay. I'll be fine."

With that Rick kissed Michonne desperately as the two men grabbed him forcefully and dragged him away.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: thanks for the reviews, they always make me smile!

I was thinking about how Rick is a fierce protector and does not want to let others walk all over him and his group. When it came to people he cares about actually facing immediate danger, he willingly went with the seemingly ruthless subordinates of the Council Members. I don't want this to seem like an act of weakness on his part; I feel he exhibited great strength to contain his rage and not lash out and make matters worse; he had to think about his children and Michonne.

In saying that, how far would he go to protect those he loves?

Let's check-in with our favourite survivors…

Daryl Dixon hurriedly rushed down the steps of the administration building; his breath short and his stomach in knots.

_Where the fuck is she?_ He thought as he glanced around the yard, squinting his eyes from the harsh sun. Michonne was still seated under the tree by the picnic tables, where Rick had pleaded with her to remain. Daryl approached hastily and Michonne stood, feeling a wave of nausea overcome her as she took in her friend's expression; worried, stricken, panicked and angry were all words that came to mind.

"What's going on?" She asked, frantically. "Have you seen Rick?"

"Yeah I seen him, when those pricks dragged him up the stairs. What the fuck, Michonne? Why are you sittin' here on your ass in the shade while they're fuckin' haulin' Rick in to see the Council? Why didn't you try to stop 'em? Christ!" He yelled, exasperated and annoyed with his hands on his hips.

Michonne was taken aback by Daryl's direct insinuation that she did not want to take on the men that had accosted Rick just moments earlier. She felt somewhat blighted by her friend's apparent lack of faith in her strength of character. Her devastation quickly gave way to indignation as she stepped towards Daryl and shoved him hard in the chest with both hands, causing him to stumble backwards. His eyes widened at her antagonistic actions.

"Screw you, Daryl!" She spat, as she shoved him once again, even harder than before. "What the fuck do you think I'm doing here, uh? Fanning myself in the shade and sippin' on cocktails? Fuck you, Daryl Dixon! Get the fuck outta my face!"

She yelled as she moved to gather Judith up, who was now crying, obviously picking up on the foul mood of the adults. Michonne rocked the baby as she paced back and forth, trying to calm the child down as well as herself. She felt tears of frustration welling in her eyes. Did he honestly think she did not want to help Rick? What else did he think of her? That this was all her fault? That Rick would be hurt because of her? She flopped to the ground and held Judith close to her body as the tears spilled from her, and she silently wept while rocking the baby.

Daryl was utterly astounded; he had not meant to upset Michonne, he was just venting his own anger at the situation. He stood watching her fighting back the rush of emotions, unsure of what to say. Rick had been dragged up into the administration building as Daryl was leaving it. He went to approach the men who were forcefully pushing his friend forward, until the smaller one drew his weapon and aimed it at Daryl. All Rick could say was "find Michonne!" before the three men disappeared behind the door and Daryl heard it lock.

Presently, Daryl leaned down on one knee and rubbed his eyes, glancing at Michonne. He inhaled deeply before he went to address her; this time, much more politely.

"Hey, 'Chonne?" he asked quietly. "I'm sorry for gettin' in your face. It's just that, I don't know what happened. All Rick said was to find you. Shit. I'm sorry for bein' an asshole. We okay?"

Michonne wiped her eyes and looked at Daryl, still evidently upset.

"How could you think I didn't wanna help him? After everything we've been through? You probably think this is my fault too!" She said, her voice cracking slightly.

Daryl shook his head and went to speak, but she cut him off.

"Rick told me not to follow. He said he would deal with it. Asked me to stay with the kids. Shit! Where's Carl?" She looked around, still shaken. Hoping to catch glimpse of the teenager and at the same time dreading how she was going to explain all of this to him, to the rest of their group.

"Carl will be okay, might be best to leave him workin' away for now, until we know what's goin' on with Rick. 'Chonne, focus; what did they want him for?"

"I don't know." Was her reply as she tried to gain composure over her wondering thoughts. "They didn't say anything except that the Council wanted to see him. I can only assume it's to do with the supply run. Today they had a Security Meeting, yeah? Well what if they think Rick's a threat to security 'cause he drew on those boys?"

Daryl nodded, that was the only explanation that he could think of as well. Judith had stopped crying and reached for Daryl, he took her in his arms and looked at Michonne, who appeared completely deflated. He was almost certain that the worried countenance that she wore matched his own. They knew exactly what happened to people who threatened the security of the Settlement.

"Rick told me to he'd go and see what they wanted. He didn't want me to go after them. Said he would take care of it. I had Judy with me, I couldn't do anything, not really. Rick was so pissed Daryl, but he didn't lose his shit, he went along with them. I wanted to do something, I really did. But it wouldn't have helped. I guess we're just gonna have to wait." She offered, using both hands to clean her tearstained face and then wiped them on her jeans.

"I'm not blamin' you. I really didn't mean for it to sound like I was blamin' you. You did the right thing. And you're right, we're just gon' have to wait." Was Daryl's reply as he placed his hand over Michonne's in a comforting and apologetic manner.

Rick sat on a chair in the middle of the room, facing John, Melanie and the other members of the Council. The larger one of the men that had brought him to the room took Rick's side arm and walked back out of the door, leaving him feeling exposed with just the leaders of the Settlement, who looked at him in a perturbed manner. They had not been face-to-face with Rick Grimes for some time now; and this meeting was not to be as amiable as their last one, when Rick was seeking duties to be allocated to his group. This time they would have to pass some form of judgement on him.

"I think you know why you were brought here, Rick." Said one of the members whose name he did not recall. Rick did not offer a reply, he just looked from one member to another.

"Is it true that you assaulted young Thom and drew your weapon on the other men whom you accompanied on the medical supply run?" Asked Melanie.

Rick nodded in confirmation.

"And did you threaten to kill them back at the camp, while they slept, no less, if they told of your actions?"

Rick's eyes narrowed at hearing this falsehood. He shook his head and sat up straighter in the seat.

"No, I never said that." He stated, slow and evenly.

"Well, do you care to elaborate, Mr Grimes?" Someone else asked, to the sound of approving grunts and other noises from the others.

Rick sighed, and reluctantly told his version of the events beginning with the argument and ending with the silent trip back to the camp. He did not leave anything out; he told of how he was defending the honour of the women in his group; how he was defending _his_ woman. He explained that he drew his weapon as a protective measure when the others had planned to make the fight unbalanced.

"Are you a violent man, Mr Grimes?" Asked John, father to the alleged victim of Rick's volatile rage, and leader of the Settlement. He studied Rick's face carefully, his own eyes seemed cold and uncompromising, like he had the weight of many a decision present in them.

Rick considered the question a moment, slightly unsure of how to answer. He knew full well that he was capable of violence, of extreme violence; but who wasn't in this day and age? He decided that he would answer truthfully, being a man of integrity in a world of liars.

"I ain't gonna lie to you. If you ask me if I'm a violent man, I'd have to say yes sir, I've had to be. I'm sure we've all had to be violent at some point, as a way to survive. I admit, what happened on that last run started off as me not likin' their tone, and them not likin' being told about it; that was just some kind of pissin' contest between us that got out of hand. They said some stuff, I said some things; punches were thrown then it got serious because _I _feared for my safety. I can handle a fair fight, ain't no worries about that, but when you got four men against one, well sir, that ain't fair at all. I was just tryin' to protect myself so I could get back here to my family, get back to raisin' my kids. And I have to point out that I _did not_ threaten to hurt those boys in their sleep."

Rick looked each Council Member in the eyes as he spoke in earnest.

"Do you know what happens to people who threaten the safety of our Settlement and the safety of its inhabitants, Rick?" Asked Melanie, her expression was stern and unmoving.

He nodded. _Banishment._

Upon his group's arrival, the rules had been explained very clearly. Rick and his group had also witnessed the banishment of a man who was found guilty of beating his girlfriend unconscious. It was pretty much the same outcome for everyone who displayed and acted on their violent temperament. You were given 24 hours (under guard) to collect what supplies you could carry, and were driven away from the camp blindfolded and then released on your own; to return was on pain of death. For the Settlement, this seemed a fair and humane way to deal with violent individuals. The world was already terrifying enough to live in, the leaders of the Settlement wanted it to be a true sanctuary for those who were willing to abide by the rules.

Rick cleared his throat and began to speak again.

"I understand that you will do what you gotta do, for the greater good. Before you pass judgement on me, I have one thing to ask."

The Council Members looked at Rick as if to say, continue, we are listening.

"My children, my people, please watch after them. If you banish me, I know they'll want to follow. It's too dangerous for my family, for my baby, to be out on the road. I nearly lost them before, I can't let it happen again, not on my account. They're better off here, where they have a chance at a life. I can't give them that on the outside. I have to do whatever I can to protect them, even if it means I.." Rick became choked up, he swallowed the lump in his throat and continued, "Even if it means I have to leave. I'll do whatever it takes to protect them."

Rick looked to the floor and wiped the back of his hand over his mouth as he let the gravity of the situation and his decision sink in.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: Thanks for the reviews; keep them coming, I get so much inspiration from them.

I just wanted to address something, for the most part, readers have appreciated where I have taken the direction of this story, but I've had some questions regarding Rick's choice to have his group remain at the Settlement if he were asked to leave. I gave it a lot of thought when I determined that Rick would decide to place his family's safety and security above his own need to have them near him. He would have their best interests in mind. Please remember he is a complex character and nothing ever comes easily for him.

Also, I don't realise how much I miss Richonne when they are not together in scenes; I seriously have to write more scenes between them (if Rick sticks around), but alas, our gallant hero may soon be banished from the realm *insert fretful facial expression here*

* * *

The afternoon was uncommonly quiet and unnervingly calm, although the summer sun was still relentless. The younger Grimes sat silently with the others from their group as they waited to find out the decision regarding his father's fate. He felt tired and afraid as he watched his small sister playing in front of him; completely oblivious to how dire their current situation was. Rick Grimes was in trouble, serious trouble, for not following the stringent rules of the Settlement, and now his group sat wondering what their next move would be. Michonne was next to Carl in the shade, just as silent as he was. She still appeared to be nauseated and did not lift her eyes for fear of vomiting once more as Sasha handed her a bottle of water. She gave soft thanks and rinsed her mouth before letting the water settle her stomach. The heat of the afternoon sun only exacerbated the feelings of uncertainty and fear. Michonne had literally worried herself sick.

Glenn was adamant that someone should go and find out what was happening, so they had sent Daryl who had returned to the group directly after visiting Rick with the approval of the Council. He approached slowly; Glenn and Ty stood to greet him, wearing concerned expressions. Carl, upon noticing Daryl's arrival, lifted his head and gaze; Michonne did not.

"He's okay." said Daryl, looking at the teenager and the woman. "They let me see him."

Michonne felt a breath, that she was unaware she had been holding, escape from her lungs.

"The Council is makin' a decision, they've got him in the detainment area while they talk. He said I had to fill everyone in, but would talk to you in person. Michonne?"

She shifted and forced herself to glance to her friend, her head still spinning slightly.

"He wants you to take the kids to see him."

Michonne, Carl and Judith approached the gymnasium area where, inside the sports equipment storeroom, those who were awaiting a Council decision were retained in holding. The caged area where equipment used to be kept worked well as a detainment cage. It was comfortable and secure.

Two armed men guarded the outside door. As Michonne and Carl came closer to them, one signalled for them to stop while he patted them down. Persuaded they were not carrying weapons, he asked them to wait until he unlocked the door and released Rick from the caged area. Carl rushed towards his father and met him in a tight hug as Rick placed a kiss to the top of his son's head.

"You okay, Dad? They didn't hurt you?" The teenager asked, clearly concerned for his father's welfare.

Rick smiled. "I'm fine, buddy. Just waitin' to see what they say."

Michonne, avoiding his gaze, handed Judith to Rick and he held the baby close, peppering her face with soft kisses and she tugged at his beard and giggled. His eyes softened as he tenderly, yet sadly looked at his daughter. He realized he had already resigned himself to surrender his family, in an attempt to protect them, but all in all, it still hurt.

Michonne watched them as she felt tears welling in her eyes, yet again. Watching Rick with his children touched her heart in ways too complex to explain. Rick noticed her and the sad expression on her face; he sighed loudly, handed Judith to Carl, held his hand out to Michonne and quietly and gently said, "Come here."

She took his hand as he drew her near and enveloped her in his arms. The weight fell away from them both as they each listened to the other breathe softly, not uttering a single a word. There was nothing they could say to one another, they both knew the relief and comfort that they sensed when they were together. Rick could feel her trembling slightly, she felt vulnerable in his arms and he had become accustomed to her letting her guard down with him. He felt happy she was comfortable with him, that she trusted him. He could only hope she still trusted his judgement after he shared with her what he had told the Council.

"It'll be okay. I don't want either of you worrying too much." He said as they went to sit down on a few dusty chairs.

"What did they say?" Michonne asked, getting straight to the point.

"They didn't say much, just asked for my side of the story. I told 'em everything. Those assholes actually tried to say I threatened to kill 'em in their sleep, can you believe that? Anyway, I was straight with 'em." Rick offered honestly, but she could tell there was something else on his mind.

Michonne's eyes narrowed as she asked, "What aren't you telling me, Rick?"

Rick rubbed his eyes as he considered how he would admit to Carl and Michonne that he wanted them to stay behind, if he was sent away. He knew they would not accept it, that they would want to follow him; but he had to, at the very least, attempt to get them to understand his reasoning. He took a deep breath and said exactly what he had decided.

"If they banish me, you all have to stay. No buts and ifs, you have to stay. I can't put y'all in danger; it's safer here than it is out on the road. Please, this is hard enough for me as it is. Promise me, if they send me away, you don't follow."

* * *

"The rules were clearly broken, Melanie. Grimes acted in a violent manner towards people in our camp. He should be dealt with the same way we've handled other situations. I don't see what your point is here." Chided one of the other members named Gary.

"What I'm sayin' is it happened while they were out on a run. From what he's said, he wanted to leave it outside. The fact remains that he didn't assault Thom inside the Settlement. Ya know what, I'm not even sure it was assault..." retorted Melanie, trying to see the reasons behind Rick's actions.

"Are you shittin' me?"

"No. No, let me finish now. I see it as they got into a scuffle, and Grimes drew to even the odds."

"She's right." Offered another. "Any one of us could've punched on with someone and done the exact same thing."

"He still threatened to kill Thom when he drew his gun on him. That's the actions of a violent man. We all know he spent a long time out in the world. A lot of it was spent alone. He's dangerous and unstable. His son seems to be just like him. All guns blazin' too. I just knew it would be a matter of time before we were sittin' here decidin' whether or not to banish him. He's trouble." Said Gary as he added, "His group could be trouble too."

"Now hold on. We can't blame the rest of 'em for his actions. His wife and kids don't deserve to be thrown out into that shit storm..."

"Are you serious? His kid has better aim than half of us. Did you see his wife this mornin' cutting down walkers like she was prunin' the fucking roses? They can sure as hell take care of themselves."

"Gary, that ain't the point though!" Said someone.

"What should we do then?" he asked in a sarcastic manner. "You said we had to weigh everything up, look at his family too. What should we do? Let them stay after we kick him out? Wake up dead one day 'cause that boy of his filled us full of holes? Or give his wife the chance to skewer us with that sword?"

"When I said consider his family, I meant we have a responsibility to them as well. We can't just split them up because he punched John's son in the face!"

"Don't trivialize it! They'd want to go with him anyway!"

The argument was becoming heated as the tension in the room rose to new heights.

"What about the baby?" Asked Sara, the youngest of the Council and also the quietest.

"What about her?" Gary asked indignantly. "He already asked for the kid to be allowed to stay, so she can stay. His wife and son will most likely wanna follow, I say let 'em go, let the baby stay with someone else from his group like he already wanted. Problem solved. They go, his daughter stays. Too easy."

Sara rolled her eyes as she stated, in a matter-of-fact manner: "No, not his daughter. The other baby, the one on the way? The one his wife is carrying?"


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: All of you dear readers are amazing! Thank you so much for the support and encouragement. I always enjoy reading reviews and messages; they inspire me, make me laugh and smile. **Internet high fives all around!**

Some responses:

lacsim1978: the word 'preggo' never gets old for me; made me LOL

lanie-love09: He really can't keep it in his pants (I ain't mad at him lol); my friends and I joke that on the show, Rick owns half of the kids left in the world – therefore he has Super-Spunk (semen) not sure what you call spunk in the US lol and I can't believe I'm talking about it (my mother must be so proud!).

castlefan83 &amp; Amrcncpprhd: _Ding ding ding! _10 points each for pointing out that the people in the Settlement, may not be the best of people themselves.

literaturechick: Glad you're excited! Everything you've said about Rick and the group is true; they're all very much 'all or nothing' and definitely stick together. We'll find out who Sara is soon…

anivas14: Glad you noticed the whole referring to Michonne as Rick's 'wife'; I thought that it would show that their connection is obvious, even to 'outsiders'. I have to agree, they are more valuable being part of the Settlement than not (I don't know what TV show they were watching but if Rick Grimes shows up on your doorstep, you let him stay lol).

CindyTheSlayer &amp; Guest: Thanks for taking the time to review.

Whoa, okay. I'm just as excited as everyone else, so let's get to it.

_5 weeks ago_

Michonne, looking like a woman on a mission, walked hastily across the grounds of the Settlement toward the rations store. The days had begun to grow warm, so the manner in which she closed her light jacket over the front of her torso and folded her arms was more an act of self-comfort than practicality. She was not feeling well and she was fairly certain she knew the reasons why; she had felt very much the same at the beginning of her pregnancy with André. Nauseated by different smells; slightly heavy in her lower regions, but late with her period; emotional and lightheaded. She was disappointed in herself; how could she let this happen, and so soon? She had only started being intimate with Rick in the past few months and was already having second thoughts about continuing her relationship with him. She was not entirely sure of what her relationship with Rick actually was; and now this. _This_ would surely complicate things further. Their desire for one another had led them to behave irresponsibly, and now she felt…worried, excited, joyous, guilty, disappointed, scared, happy and sad; all at once.

Rick Grimes was a decent man; a strong man, a protector, a leader. _She cared for him, she…_she shook that admission from her mind. Michonne was still uncertain about what they were doing; she had felt the shift in their relationship. She had noticed that Rick was behaving differently with her. He was being gentler with her and wanted to hold her after they had sex. The frequency with which they had been intimate had also increased. She knew he had developed deeper feelings for her, she could see it in his eyes. The way his gaze would follow her and how it softened when he spoke to her; she knew it because she felt the same. She just did not know how to deal with her feelings. _And now this. _If she ended things with Rick, then what? Would she have to try to avoid him, to basically ignore him? The Settlement was small, there were not many places one could hide from someone who sought them out; and she knew Rick would always seek her out. Even more so if he knew his child was growing inside of her. Even if she did not tell him right away, he would eventually notice for it was not something that one could easily hide. She almost laughed when she thought of how joint custody was a thing of the past. _Wait! Am I really going through with this? _She asked herself, already knowing the answer. Regardless of what happened between Michonne and Rick, she knew she would keep the baby. Rick and his children were gifts to her, this baby would be the same; a precious gift in a horrible world.

Michonne used her key to gain entry to the rations store, Brett stood, smiled and greeted her warmly. He was a nice young man, always eager to help, extremely friendly and no trouble. She had caught him staring down the front of her top several times, but she hadn't said anything. She smiled to herself when she thought of how Rick would always be short-tempered to the young man when he came by the rations store. He always snapped at him, and made Brett feel uncomfortable. She could only guess that Rick had caught him staring as well.

"Your husband came by here earlier." Called Sara from the back of the rations store. Michonne did not correct her, it was a common mistake that many of the residents at the Settlement made; she knew the young woman was talking about Rick because he usually came by looking for her. Most of the residents meant Rick when they mistakenly referred to Michonne's 'husband'; she had grown tired of repeating "he's not my husband" because they just went on to say, "Oh, sorry, your boyfriend." Rick thought it was amusing and did not correct anyone at all for the slip up. Michonne thought Rick might actually enjoy the insinuation that _she_ was _his_.

"What did he want?" asked Michonne as she sat on a stool at one of the tables.

"Well, if I didn't know any better, I'd say he just wanted to be rude to Brett." She began, as they both threw Brett a sympathetic look. "Nah, he was just lookin' for you."

Michonne nodded and said, "I'll see him later I guess."

Just then, it occurred to her that she could take advantage of the whole situation. "Actually, Brett, I hate to ask but would you go find Rick for me, please?"

She wanted some time alone with Sara, but could think of no other excuse. Brett looked like he had just swallowed an insect upon hearing her request, he did not really want to go and seek out Rick Grimes. The man was always unpleasant to him, but he did want to help Michonne.

"Do I have to?" He asked, his face all screwed up. "He's always such a jerk to me."

Michonne batted her eyelids and mouthed the words _pretty please._

Brett rolled his eyes, "Fine, fine. I'll do it for you, but he's gonna have to start bein' nicer to me, Michonne. I don't know what I've done to offend him."

"Thank you." Michonne offered warmly. "I'll be sure to talk to him about being an asshole."

With that, the young man nodded and left the two women alone in the small room.

"That was mean, Mich." Said Sara. "Rick doesn't like Brett at all, and he don't hide it very well."

Michonne sighed and told Sara she knew it was terrible of her to ask, but she needed to speak privately. Sara handled the medical and hygiene supplies and was in charge of distributing said rations. She was a kind, quiet spoken young woman; a trainee nurse in another life, junior representative on the Council and trustworthy. She and Michonne formed a quick and easy friendship since Michonne had begun her duties in the rations store. She knew she would be able to ask Sara this favour, without it getting back to Rick or anyone else for that matter. Michonne also knew that if she were indeed pregnant, Sara would be the person she needed to see for her antenatal medicine.

"Sara, I need to ask for something, but please, I need you to keep it between us."

The young woman nodded and said, "Of course."

* * *

Rick returned to the rations store, walking slightly faster than Brett, a stern look on his face.

"Hey, everything okay?" He asked Michonne, his brow furrowed and his thumbs hooked into his belt.

"Yeah everything's fine, I'm fine. You wanted to see me?" She asked, as she approached him and noticed his expression softened.

"I always wanna see you." He whispered as she rolled her eyes.

"Knock it off." She warned quietly, in a stern manner that was just not that believable and good-naturedly shoved his chest.

"Also," she added, much louder, "Stop givin' Brett a hard time would you? He told me how you treat him. You don't always have to be such an asshole to him, Rick."

Rick looked at Michonne with a faux-annoyed look on his face, and then turned to Brett who looked even more uncomfortable than before.

"Did you call me an asshole, boy?" He asked, genuinely annoyed now at the young man's absurd expression.

"Jesus, Rick. Leave him alone." Michonne chastised, as she walked behind him, hooked the tips of her fingers into his belt and pushed him through the door. He did not resist Michonne's playfulness and let her shuffle him outside. As they walked Rick felt the strong urge to wrap a possessive arm around her waist. He thought better of it as they moved toward the fence, he did not notice the newly acquired pregnancy test shoved in the side pocket of her jeans.

* * *

_Present Day_

Rick sat in the same chair that he was seated in earlier that day. He stared at the floor a moment, gathering his thoughts, before looking directly at the Council members. He could not gauge their expressions and waited quietly to hear what they had decided.

John began to speak.

"I'm lettin' you know that I was not involved in the deliberations that took place this afternoon, because of the obvious conflict of interest. I'm here now to deliver the judgment to you. After listenin' to both sides of the story, and taking into consideration the seriousness of the accusation, as well as what is fair for you and your family, the Council have reached a decision."

Rick sat up straighter in his seat and nodded slowly to John.

"We have taken into account that you have a family to look after." The older man continued.

"And with that the Council have decided that your actions, while out on that run, were in self-defence and did not pose an immediate threat to the security of this camp. While we don't condone this behaviour, it would be unjust to banish you when you have two children and a pregnant wife to care for. It would be uncivilised of us to place ah..." he looked to Melanie who quickly and quietly provided the name he was searching for.

"Yes, to place Michonne, your boy, your baby and your unborn child at risk if you weren't around to provide for them, or if they followed you. So, with that, you are allowed to stay in the Settlement under a three month probationary period whereby we retain your weapon and you are banned from goin' on any runs until the time is up. Is that clear? Do you have any questions?"

Rick looked confused, the Council members thought, as he stared at them in shock and disbelief, not saying anything.

"Grimes? Do you hear me? You're free to go." John stated.

"Sorry, yes sir. Thank you. Thank you all for givin' me this chance. I, ah...I really do appreciate it."

Rick stammered as he stood and turned to the door slowly, glancing back and offering a final nod to the Council members. As Rick exited the administration building, he could barely focus on what had just happened all he could think of was what John had said to him. Michonne was pregnant. _His _Michonne was pregnant? She was carrying his child? His head spun as he tried to make sense of what had just occurred.

He was shaken from his thoughts and brought back to reality as his group rushed toward him asking what had happened. He informed them he was to remain in the camp and accepted the hugs and handshakes, the smiles and relieved laughter. All the while his eyes found their way back to Michonne, who stood back while the others crowded around him. _Why didn't she say anything?_ He questioned. _How do they all know, those Council members, when I didn't?_ He was confused and unsure of how this revelation made him feel.

The others returned happily to their duties, while Carol saw to Judith, and Carl, Daryl and Michonne followed Rick back to their living area. He explained the terms of him being allowed to stay and said he would comply. He turned to the man who was like his brother and said:

"Hey, I have a three pack of AAA batteries in the tent to the left, right near the opening. Take Carl up to the rations store and see if you can trade 'em for some candy bars."

Daryl nodded. "Okay, man. You need anything?"

Rick shook his head and then watched Carl and Daryl walk away. He slowly closed the distance between himself and Michonne, pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaled deeply and said to her in an even tone.

"Hey, we need to talk."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews. Keep them coming, I always try to respond. A special shout out to Alex311; I am truly sorry for your loss at this time. I'm glad my stories bring you some kind of comfort, and hope this chapter does as well.

Also, sorry if my updating has slowed down; I've been sick and work has been crazy. Other than that, it's Book Week and I'm so very, very happy!

Responses:

lanie-love09: Repopulate the earth one Michonne at a time? Love it! You make me laugh so much!

literaturechick: Thank you. I think Rick's mannerisms are very specific and recognisable, so I'm glad that I've done him some justice.

anivas14: Dear oh dear, you are right, Thom will not be happy about this!

Missy96: Thank you! And Beth is out there somewhere, my advice to you is: all good things to those who wait! I don't want to give too much away right now, but no one has forgotten her. Watch this space…

Alright, let's check in on a couple of conversations.

* * *

"Did you know my Dad wanted us to stay here if they kicked him out?"

Carl asked Daryl as he shoved stale gumballs into his mouth, one after the other.

"Yeah." Replied Daryl. "He told me. I woulda tracked him though, we'd just have to find another place then come back and get y'all. We gotta stick together."

Daryl became silent and contemplative a moment before continuing.

"You know he'd never ask us to leave with him. He knows this is a good, safe place. He was thinkin' of you and Lil' Asskicker."

Carl nodded and handed Daryl another gumball.

"Michonne was so pissed afterwards. She played it cool when Dad told us, but later, she was pissed. I never heard her say the f-word so many times before. You should've seen her! I better save some candy for her!" He said as they both laughed.

It got quiet again.

"Hey Daryl?" The teenager asked.

"My Dad and Michonne, what d'ya think about 'em? Ya know, being together?"

Daryl looked at Carl and offered a small grin.

"They tried to hide it, but I kinda figured for a while now, so I ain't surprised. All ya gotta do is spend five minutes with 'em and ya know. Michonne thinks she's so hard to read, she don't realize everyone sees how different she is with Rick." They chuckled again, thinking of Michonne failed attempts at being inconspicuous.

"I reckon they make each other happy. They're the same, ain't they?" Daryl chuckled, and then went on.

"Both stubborn as shit. Tough as nails. Makes sense to me that they'd get together. Though, ya gotta admit she's too good lookin' for Rick. That fuckin' beard of his! I'm amazed 'Chonne ain't shaved it off him while he's sleep!"

At this Carl and Daryl laughed uproariously; Carl wiping tears from his eyes and spitting out flavourless pieces of gum.

"What d'you think?" Daryl asked, intrigued by what the boy would say. Carl stared off into the distance as he contemplated his father and Michonne's relationship.

"It's okay with me. They're happy. After everything they've been through, I think they deserve to be happy." Said Carl, and Daryl was surprised at how mature the teenager sounded.

"And she'll keep my Dad in line. She'll kick his ass!"

"No shit." Replied Daryl as he chewed the gum vigorously.

"But if my Dad screws this up, if he hurts her, I'll kick his ass myself." The boy said, in a serious tone as both he and Daryl nodded.

* * *

A gentle cool breeze had manifested to combat the heat of the late afternoon. It felt like sweet relief as it caressed Michonne's skin and, aided by the light sheen of sweat, cooled her and made it bearable to be in the sun. She and Rick walked to a shaded area that had a table and benches; Rick stood and Michonne sat down. He placed his left hand on his hip and used the back of his right hand to wipe his mouth.

"I lied to you." Michonne said, breaking the silence.

Rick tilted his head and gazed at her questioningly, not quite sure what she was talking about. She looked to the ground, rubbed her hands together then met his eyes once more.

"Before, when you told me and Carl to let you go. To stay here and be safe, and let you go. I lied when I said I'd stay. I only said it to ease your mind, make it easier for you to go back and face the Council. Truth is, I'd be out that gate after you the first chance I got, we'd find somewhere else. We'd all be together."

Rick nodded in agreement, knowing deep down inside of him that she would. Knowing that he would be hurt if she did not come for him.

"I'm sorry for lyin' to your face, but you must know I'd never let you leave us. I'd never let you be on your own. Seriously, check my tent, I've got a go-bag already packed." She smiled as he let out a light chuckle.

Rick stared at Michonne and felt his chest swell with adoration for her, his woman. He knew she would try to find him if he were banished, she always found her way to him.

"I thought as much." Was his happy reply.

"I mean, I understand why you decided for it to be that way, I respect you for it. This is a good place, this is a really good place, but our place is with you." She said in earnest, and then quietly:

"Rick, my place is with you."

At her last remark, Rick smiled widely, glad that she finally realized and admitted what he had known all along; that they belonged together.

Rick moved towards Michonne, squatted down in front of her and took both of her hands in his own, staring into her dark brown eyes.

"I'm glad you finally see it." He offered, almost in a whisper. He then lifted her left hand to his lips, kissed it softly and then used his thumb to gently rub it. She smiled down at him, always amazed at how tender he could be. Most people got to see one side of Rick Grimes; strong, fierce and unyielding. Michonne was ever thankful that she got to see more of him than others did. The soft and loving man who held her hand and helped to wipe her tears away.

"Sorry," she began. "You wanted to talk and here I am not lettin' you get a word in."

Rick laughed as he stood from his squatting position and took up a seat next to Michonne; she turned her body so that she could face him and noted that his expression had changed.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, concerned by the shift of the mood.

Rick nodded, smiled weakly and thought about how he was going to broach the issue with her. Despite the recent drama that had unfolded, he and Michonne had made so much progress with their relationship over the past couple of days. Rick did not want to say anything to jeopardize that. To upset her or push her away.

"Ya know what? It was 'cause of you, Carl and Judy that they didn't kick me out." He said.

"I understand letting you stay because of the kids, but me?" She asked, a little surprised that she would even be brought into the decision.

"They know that we're together, and for some reason, I dunno, and maybe you could help me figure out that reason, they think you're pregnant."

Michonne's face dropped as she sat in silence a moment. Rick studied her expression before saying her name.

"Michonne? Hey, is it true? Are you pregnant?" Rick asked, his eyes locked onto the woman sitting next to him. She stared straight ahead, then suddenly stood and took a few slow steps away from Rick. He immediately jumped to his feet and followed her; by the time Michonne turned to face him, he was standing right before her. She crossed her arms over her chest in a guarded manner and avoided his gaze.

"Michonne?" He asked quietly and gently.

Finally, her eyes met his.

She nodded to confirm what he was already sure of, Michonne was carrying his baby.

Rick drew her into a hug as he kissed her forehead. They stood embracing in silence for a short while before letting go of one another. Rick asked more questions.

"How far along? Why didn't you tell me? How does the Council know?"

"I think it's been about ten weeks and the only person who knows is Sara. She must've told 'em." Michonne replied, wearing an unreadable visage.

"Michonne, why didn't you tell me?" Rick asked, sounding more hurt than he had intended to.

She shrugged slightly.

"I don't know." She answered honestly. "I just didn't know how to say it. I was worried about what you'd say. I didn't even know what we were doing. I've been confused. I didn't want you to worry. I just didn't know, I had to get my mind right."

"Were you ever gonna tell me?" He asked, tilting his head to the left a little.

"Eventually." She started. "I wasn't sure that you'd even wanna hear it..."

Rick cut her off.

"Why wouldn't I wanna hear it? Did you think I'd let you go through this on your own?" He asked, now truly hurt by her assumption.

"No." Was her reply. "But I haven't been thinking properly anyways. There's just so much goin' on. I was afraid to open up to you. I wasn't sure what we were doin', Rick. I'm keeping it and I wasn't sure you'd want to be with me if you kn..."

"Of course I'd wanna be with you, Michonne!" Rick interjected, holding her gaze and placing both hands at her waist as he stepped a little closer.

"All I ever wanted was to be with you. I love you."

He said, like it was the most obvious and natural thing in the world.

Rick placed another soft kiss to her brow, and let his own forehead rest against hers as they both closed their eyes. He was afraid; he was worried that what had happened when Judith was born would happen again...He forced the thought from his mind and focussed on what was happening in that instance. Michonne needed him to be strong, their baby needed him to be strong.

"We can make this work." He finally said, quietly and confidently.

"I'll look after you, the both of you. I'll do whatever I can to protect you and our baby. You have my word."

Rick pressed a chaste kiss to Michonne's lips and used his thumb to wipe the tear that had run down her cheek.

"I know." She said quietly, staring into his eyes.

"That's why I love you."


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thanks for the reviews everybody! You are all so amazing. I want to respond to everyone because I appreciate the time taken to actually give me feedback, and if something you say inspires me, I will let you know because to me, that's what it's about; sharing.

A few things happen in this chapter that, although they seem small, indicate how far their relationship has come.

Responses:

Missy96: thanks for your support and sorry for making your eyes sweat lol

Alex311: thanks, as always, for your kind words; I am feeling much better and will do some serious writing and updating this weekend.

literaturechick: when I proofread the last chapter, I had to smile at Daryl and Carl's little chat. I honestly don't know where these ideas come from sometimes, but conversations with Carl and Daryl just flow naturally for me. Also, I'm glad I was able to convey how far Michonne has come emotionally. For eff sake, I just want 'em to be happy! Lol Oh and yeah, the baby would be such a badass!

KyannaLashae: thank you. I was aiming to get them as close to their TV counterparts as possible; it's important to get their mannerisms right I think.

Daniele: cheers, I'm glad you liked it!

Blueberrysuite7: wow, thanks. That's cool you can re-read the story. Feedback like this encourages me to continue writing; knowing people are enjoying my story and are invested in knowing what happens next.

MissChocolateoxo: Thank you, what a very flattering review. I feel Rick is very complex and wanted to show these two sides of his personality. I'm glad you could see why Michonne was initially hesitant with the relationship; like Rick, things don't come easily for her as well. I really just want 'em to be happy. Bloody hell, it's not too much to ask for, is it? LOL

Kammy: you're welcome, and thanks for reading. I'm a fan of them too, so I know how sucky it is that there aren't more Richonne fics floating around. Guess I'm just doing my part to share the love hehe

Amrcncpprhd: you know I gotta get the feels going, always lol thank you!

Trinideanfan: exactly! Way too few Richonne fics. There are so many talented writers who have written amazing fics for our dear Richonne; many of whom have left reviews for this story, please check them out also. You won't be disappointed!

Cosmickym925: your review made me laugh so much! Thanks. Lol

: as always, your reviews made me smile! Thank you. It brings me great happiness to know my little story can make you act like a goofy, crazy lady! Hehe

Okay, back to it.

* * *

The night sky was clear and speckled with stars; a soft breeze offered a level of comfort to the residents of the Settlement, considering the evening was still quite warm. Rick paced back and forth holding Judith and rocking the drowsy child in an effort to get her to give in and finally sleep. It had been an emotionally draining day for everyone while Rick's fate was being decided by the Council. The group members, now relieved that their leader was safe, were seated at the picnic tables and on the ground talking after they had shared their evening meal together; kerosene lanterns illuminating the area and their smiling faces. Rick absentmindedly listened to their conversations and light laughter as he strolled slowly and hushed a heavy-eyed Judith to sleep. He looked to where his son was seated speaking with Tara and Maggie, and unbeknown to Rick, getting advice about how to spark up a witty exchange with young ladies. Their facial expressions were animated, and their hand gestures were fervent; his son seemed totally enthralled in what the two young women were telling him. Rick let a small grin play on his face as he thought of how good it was to still be there with his friends; his family.

Like always, Rick's gaze found its way to Michonne; he could not help it, he was drawn to her. He was always drawn to her and she had this overwhelming power over Rick without even doing or saying one single thing. He could barely explain it, in fact, he was at a loss to explain it; all he knew was that he had to be near her. Close enough to hear her earthy, rich voice which gently caressed his ears; a caress made all the more sweet when she laughed or when she whispered his name. Close enough to see the light dancing across her immaculate, beautiful skin. Skin that felt even more soft to touch than it looked. Skin that he relished after trailing kisses over her body. He was captivated by Michonne. It had started back at the prison, when he would find himself stealing secret glances at her while no one was looking. She was a mystery to him, and Rick found himself ever intrigued by her. He smiled as he thought of how he no longer needed to steal secret anythings from Michonne anymore; she was his, and he was hers. He watched her and thought of how at ease she looked then and there. Life had not been easy for anyone up until that point in time, but sometimes, just for a little while, you could just exist in the moment. You could be content with your life and the people in it. Rick was more than content with Michonne. She had been a blessing to him and he could finally admit what he had known for some time; that he was in love with her.

Michonne was sitting on a chair behind Sasha, and skilfully finishing a second French braid at the side of the young woman's head. Rick could not help but think of their unborn child in that instance. If they had a daughter, would Michonne braid her hair like that? She would be gorgeous like her mother, he thought as he was encompassed by a feeling of hope for the future, _their _future. It was not the ideal situation to be in, living in this world, bringing a child into this world; Rick knew that all too well. But it was _their_ situation, and Rick Grimes was determined to do all that he could to make it work.

Rick, holding a sleeping motioned for Carl to follow him back to the area where their tents were located. Lately, Judith's bedtime usually meant it was Carl's bedtime too; although the boy did not complain that evening as he was quite lethargic. Rick looked back to where Michonne had been sitting with Bob and Sasha, but noticed that she was no longer there. He caught a glimpse of her heading toward her tent and felt somewhat disappointed; he had hoped that she might move her belongings into his tent and stay with him. Rick realized that he had not even thought to ask her to stay with him; he felt a little foolish then. He also felt hurt by the fact that she had not even wished him and the children goodnight. He would see to his children, then go and seek out Michonne; hoping that she would be able to sweeten the sour mood he currently found had come over him.

"Carl." Started Rick. "With everything that's happened, we ain't had to time to talk about a few things."

The boy yawned, rubbed his eyes and looked at his father squatting at the opening of the tent.

"I know dad, but can't it wait until tomorrow?"

Rick smiled and nodded: "Okay son. Tomorrow."

With that he bid Carl goodnight, walked over to his own tent, searched for a towel and a flashlight and made his way toward the communal showers. He thought briefly about going to see if Michonne might like to join him, but reasoned that she was probably too tired. That had to be why she had slipped away to her tent without so much as a goodnight. Rick realized that he was becoming increasingly annoyed at that moment. He was annoyed because he felt a familiar fear creeping back; a fear that Michonne was pulling away from him again. He entered the darkened showers, found one of the solar-powered camping lanterns that was available for use by residents and switched it on. Rick disrobed, turned one of the showers on and stepped under the cool water. It offered him relief in the heat of the night; he felt his worries wash away under the steady stream as he closed his eyes and held his face up to the shower head.

* * *

Feeling completely refreshed, Rick walked briskly back from the showers and headed toward his tent. He passed the area where a few members of his group were still gathered.

"Michonne's lookin' for you." Said Carol and Rick stopped in his tracks.

"Thanks. Where is she?" He asked, silently thankful that she had sought him out.

"Uh, I think she went back to her tent." Came her reply.

Rick did not bother to take his towel and flashlight back to the rest of his belongings, but instead made his way to where Michonne was. He found her lying barefoot on her rolled out sleeping bag, where her tent used to be with her head resting on her backpack, katana at her side, looking up at the night sky.

"Hey." He said, smiling down at her, mentally noting how adorable, and somewhat weird, she was.

"Everything okay?" Rick asked, always concerned.

"Yes. Everything's fine. Why do you ask?" Replied Michonne.

"Nah, it's nothin'." Rick offered, playing down how he noticed she had left earlier without saying anything.

"Missed you leave before. I thought you were goin' to sleep. I wanted to say goodnight." He said as he flopped down beside Michonne who was still lying on her back looking to the stars.

"Oh no, I was just coming to grab my stuff, but you were already gone when I got back."

Now she sat up, and fixed the backpack to herself. Rick looked at her confused.

"What's goin' on, Michonne. Where are you going with that?" He said with his brow furrowed, worry evident in his tone.

She let out a small chortle as she realized what it must have looked like; her tent was taken down and put away and she had her bag packed. It looked like she was going somewhere, and given her previous erratic behaviour, it was not such a stretch for Rick to assume it.

"Well, I thought I could stay with you again, I mean, if that's alright."

"Shit. You scared me." He said, running his fingers through his wet hair. "I thought you were takin' off on me."

"Rick, seriously? I'm not goin' anywhere." She smiled at him and he let out a relieved laugh.

"Sorry, I dunno what I was thinkin'. Of course you wouldn't do that now. Sorry, I'm such a dumbass." He apologized, feeling quite silly because of his assumption.

"So," she began. "Can I stay with you?"

She did not have to wait to hear Rick's response to her question; his wide smile already told her that his answer was yes.

Later in the evening, after Rick and Michonne had made love in what was now _their_ tent, they both lay naked in each other's arms. Rick felt a different sense of euphoria this time because, after admitting to Michonne that he loved her earlier in the day, and having her reciprocate his feelings, he did not have to hold back any longer. He was able to say _I love you_ while slowly and gently exploring her body with his hands and mouth. When he slid his length inside of her warm centre. When she breathed out his name and he caught her mouth with his own. When he spilled his seed inside of her and fought to catch his breath. It felt truly wonderful to say those three words amidst their passionate embrace; it felt so natural for him to utter a simple _I love you_ and made their coming together all the more special. Special because, as Rick smiled and recalled, Michonne said it again too.

Their breathing had returned to normal after a moment; hesitantly, Michonne shifted away from Rick a little, in an effort to find some cool comfort in the hot tent. He was not ready to let her go, not just yet, so he placed his right arm under her head and turned so that he was facing her. Rick placed a soft kiss to her temple and quietly listened to the calming sound of her gentle breathing. He slid his left hand over her abdomen where their child was growing inside of her.

"You know I'm gonna do my best to make sure everything will be alright?" Rick suddenly and tenderly asked in hushed tones.

Michonne smiled and looked to him, feeling completely safe and completely loved. She reached her hand for his that was protectively placed over their growing child; she then realized, as she ran her thumb across Rick's fingers, that he had removed his wedding ring. She said nothing, knowing exactly what it meant that he had removed it. Finally, she answered:

"I know you'll do your best, Rick. You always do."

* * *

A/N: Sorry, this was a bit of a filler. Next chapter, they're going to have to tell Carl about the pregnancy!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Glad to hear that everyone is still enjoying the story; it really does make me smile when I hear from the lovely readers.

Responses, because you are all divine:

DCSDaniele: Thank you very much; I am truly glad that you've been enjoying my writing.

Guest: They are cute though, aren't they? Hehehe I love me some cuteness!

literaturechick: Oh it took a little while for them to get to the point of honesty and trust, and I'm glad they're finally there too. I love them as well.

Alex311: Aww, I'm glad my little musings from the other side of the world helped to calm you for your exam. I'm flattered! Oh and I hope you did well ;)

lanie-love09: I swear you've been reading my mind! Lol it's inevitable isn't it, that he's going to be overprotective? I'm going to have so much fun writing overprotective Rick!

KyannaLashae: My little mate Carl can be so temperamental when he's upset, so let's hope that he isn't!

Amrcncpprhd: Thanks; I always like to get the dialogue right because there's only so much explaining I can do. Glad you're enjoying it!

Stacy: I've barely given any thought to what the group would say and do; but it's coming, just gotta sort Carl out first :)

Kam: Yes, they need to be close to one another and I'm glad she's staying with him also. Now, about telling Carl and the others…

Aurora-of-Aragon: Aww, I'm winning when I can bring on the butterflies and sighs! Lol You know, I think you're right in saying that everyone is expecting Maggie to be pregnant because she has a husband and because of the scare she and Glenn had at the start of S4. So far, we know why Michonne had the initial aversion to babies but there is nothing to suggest that she would not fully embrace being a mother again. You raise some valid points! :) And if not for wishful thinking, none of us would be here discussing our beloved characters right now!

Okay, here goes…

* * *

Sometimes Rick Grimes could scarcely believe how lucky he had been. Yes, his life had been fraught with loss, heartache and danger, but looking into his daughter's blue, smiling eyes made him certain that he was one of the lucky ones; especially in the world that they had inherited. To Rick, his children made everything seem worthwhile because if not for them, for their future, then why did he fight so hard? Why did he risk everything he had, his own safety, to protect them? The answer was simple; _it's not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it's what you leave behind you when you go_. They were his legacy; they were his reason for living and they were _his_. They had every right to exist; and while the struggles were frequent and the danger was real, he had to believe that there was something better for them. He had to believe that there would be joy for them; that they would know how complete one could feel when they loved someone and are loved in return. If he could be certain that if his children found even the smallest piece of the adoration and awe-inspiring devotion that he felt, in his swollen heart, then he could rest easy knowing that there was something beautiful in their futures.

He smiled as he thought of his unborn child growing inside of Michonne; he truly was a lucky man. He did not dwell on the past anymore; he did not feel sorry for himself because of the suffering he had endured. No, that was too easy, and nothing came easy for Rick; he preferred instead to see the blessings that had been placed in his life. Michonne had been a blessing and this child would be a blessing as well. He did not have to be afraid of what might happen for he knew that he could handle it; he could handle anything, he _had _to.

Rick placed a tender kiss to Judith's head as he made his way to one of the classrooms that was set up as a child minding centre to enable adults to be able to participate in their day-to-day duties. The residents called it the Day Care. The woman, Rita, who was mainly responsible for the small children during the daylight hours was in her late fifties and had a kind face. Carol occasionally relieved her of her duties when she was not seeing to the education of the older children; she taught them to read and write and how to use weapons. This time, it was not a secret; the parents were glad of it and Carol seemed at peace with herself and her decisions. Rick offered Carol a nod in greeting as he handed Judith over and smiled at his friend; he walked away intent on tracking down Carl.

The morning air was thick and there was no relief from the heat; Rick found Carl at the garden, getting ready to begin his work for the day. Rick and Michonne had decided that they would inform the teenager about their pregnancy when they all took their lunch break together; there was no need to have him distracted from his morning duties, Michonne had reasoned. Rick was intrigued to see what Carl would say and how he would react from the news. He honestly had no idea how it would all work out; what he did know was that he was ready to, once again, deal with what life had thrown in his path. Rick smiled while pulling on his gloves and glancing over at his son as Carl set about gathering the implements that they would be using.

The hot sun displayed neither remorse nor pity for its unyielding assault on Rick and Carl Grimes. At the very least, the younger Grimes had his hat to protect his pale skin from being burned. His father, on the other hand, had developed a tan from his days spent working outside. He no longer felt the burn, but the heat still persisted. Rick wiped the sweat from his brow and took a small sip from his water bottle; still clearly recalling his own father's words about not drinking too much water when you were working for it made you weak. From the position of the midday sun, Rick knew it was time for him and his son to take a break to eat their lunch. Rick whistled to get Carl's attention, and they both made their way to where Michonne would be waiting for them with Judith.

She smiled as the two men who meant the most to her in this world approached, looking positively exhausted from the heat. She whispered to Judith, who was seated on her lap, to look to where they were walking, getting closer and closer; the small girl became excited at the sight of her father and brother. Rick smiled at the two ladies who meant the most to him in this world and sat down at the picnic table directly across from them. Carl took up a place next to his father, took a drink from his water bottle then began to eat; all was quiet at the table while Rick thought about how he would begin the conversation with his son. Michonne watched Rick waiting for him to initiate; when he swallowed what he had chewed and washed it down, she knew he was ready.

"Carl." Started Rick, turning to face his son. "You know how Michonne and I have been together, are _together_?"

Carl looked to his father, an awkward expression crossing the younger man's features.

"Yeah dad, I know. Daryl said you've been _together_ a while now. It's fine, really. I'm glad the two of you are happy." Said the teenager in earnest.

"I know you both deserve to be happy." He added, looking at Michonne and smiling. He knew all too well about what she had lost, how far she had descended and what it took for her to come back. Carl loved her wholly and took comfort in knowing that she loved him just the same. She was his protector, his best friend; she was like a mother to him. After all of the heartache and loss, he could think of no one he would rather see his father with.

Rick offered a small smile and nodded slightly as he glanced from Carl to Michonne.

"Thanks son, that means a lot to hear you say that." Rick said quietly as he prepared himself for what he had to tell Carl next.

"There's, ah, somethin' else we needed to talk to you about as well, Carl. Somethin' serious, but you don't need to worry none, everything's gonna be okay." His father continued as Carl's brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed, much in the same fashion as Rick's did.

"What is it, dad?" He asked, seemingly concerned.

"Well," Rick began. "I don't know any other way to say it, so I'm just gonna be straight with ya; Michonne's pregnant. We're gonna have a baby."

Carl screwed his face up slightly, closed his eyes briefly then shook his head; wondering if he had heard correctly what his father had just divulged. He looked to Michonne for confirmation; she understood that he was asking an unspoken question so she nodded to him.

"Are you for real? What the Hell is wrong with you two? It's dangerous. Dad! What's wrong with you? You know what happened to mom and now you wanna knock Michonne up too!" Carl yelled as he stood from where he was seated.

Michonne's eyes widened in surprise at his outburst.

"Carl," she began, before he interrupted what she was about to say.

"No! Michonne, this isn't good! You could be hurt; you could die! Dad! I can't believe you guys!" He exclaimed loudly, his voice faltering in the tiniest way and tears of frustration forming in his eyes.

Rick stood then and inched closer to his son, reaching a comforting hand to his shoulder which Carl roughly shrugged away.

"No! Don't touch me! She could die, dad! I can't do this again!"

Carl's gaze fell on Michonne once more.

"I can't lose you like I lost mom. I just can't! I can't believe you guys could be so stupid! You assholes!" He screamed before turning and running toward the school buildings.

"Carl!" Called Michonne as handed Judith to her father and went to follow the boy; Rick gently grabbed her arm and shook his head.

"Let him go, he needs a little time." He offered sadly.

"Fuck." Was all Michonne could say as she placed herself heavily back to where she was seated; weighed down from unhappiness from having hurt and disappointed Carl.

* * *

The sun had begun to set and Carl had been gone for the entire afternoon. Michonne, still upset from what had transpired earlier in the day, went to find the teenager. She needed him to know that, while his fears were valid, he should not place blame on his father. This pregnancy was not something Rick had _done _to Michonne; it was not a curse, it was not an affliction. While no one could know the future, she had to tell Carl that there was always a chance that everything might work out. She also needed him to know that she would never willingly do anything to hurt him. Michonne just hoped that she would find him before the daylight gave way to darkness.

Meanwhile, in a quietened corner of a long ago emptied classroom, a couple of young men sat drinking aged whiskey from a single bottle.

"I still can't fuckin' believe it man. Grimes is still here. What were they thinkin'? What did your daddy say?" Asked Brandon, quite aggravated by the fact the Rick was allowed to remain in the Settlement after his actions toward them on the supply run not too long ago.

His companion, Thom, took another gulp of the bitter liquid and held his forearm to his mouth in an effort to stop the contents from dribbling out.

"Fucked if I know why they let him stay. My old man ain't done shit. He wouldn't tell me anything about it neither. Guess they think he's more valuable to the group than we thought they did."

Brandon received the bottle from Thom and partook in another burning mouthful before continuing his rant.

"I mean, come on man, what did he say to 'em? How did he talk his way out of it? Your daddy is on that Council, how the fuck they gonna just let him get away with it?" He asked, still in disbelief as he shook his head.

"I dunno. I bet it's 'cause he got them two kids. They wouldn't send him away with them kids. You know who'd be able to tell us?" Thom asked, his eyes lighting up at remembering he had an ally inside of the Council; a less diplomatic man than his father who would unravel the mystery for them of why Rick Grimes was allowed to stay.

"Who?"

"Gary. He can't stand that Grimes prick. That's why I was sure he'd be banished 'cause Gary's on the Council too." Answered Thom as he moved to stand, swaying as the alcohol affected him.

"Where you goin', man?" Brandon asked, staring up at Thom.

"To find Gary and find out why they didn't throw Grimes out on his ass."

* * *

Carl Grimes sat with his back pressed against the cool brick wall of one of the school buildings, staring out of the chain-link fence. His eyes had long dried from his scared tears but they felt swollen and stung slightly. Night was falling quickly and he felt his stomach clench and grumble, but he just could not face them yet. He was afraid that their stupidity, _Rick's _stupidity was going to get Michonne killed. He still remembered what it felt like to put that bullet in his mother's head; he did not want to have to do that again. Carl's head throbbed as he used both hands to wipe his face and press against his temple for relief.

Carl felt a wave of weariness wash over him; while he did not want to speak with his father and Michonne, he did want to return to their area and turn in for the night. He dragged himself up and made his way around the corner with his head hanging low and his hat covering his eyes. He walked at a slow pace, not noticing the last rays of daylight slipping away.

"Well, well. Look what we have here." Came a voice Carl did not recognize. He lifted his head slowly to see two men standing before him. The one who had spoken, a young blonde man, stood in front of Carl and looked the teenager up and down; the other man, with dark hair, moved to the side of the boy, wearing a smirk on his face. Carl's right hand instinctively moved to where his weapon sat; but, to his dismay he realized he was not wearing it having come from the garden to eat before he ran away in anger. The action was not missed by Thom as he let out a laugh.

"Don't like your odds, uh boy? Just like your bitch-ass daddy. But you ain't got your gun on ya, do you? You ain't gon' do shit."

Listening to the man, Carl knew in that moment he was the same one who Rick had been in the altercation with.

"What do you want from me?" The boy asked quietly, still feeling upset from before, now his sadness and frustration was mixed with anger for the men that had approached him.

Thom stepped closer and leaned his face near Carl's, the stench of alcohol caused the teenager to screw his face up.

"What do I want from you? Shit, I don't want nothin' from you. Fuck you!" He said, as he used his hand to knock Carl's hat from his head; Brandon laughed.

"I want somethin' from your daddy. I want him to pay. No matter what I gotta do, he's gonna pay."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. This was really hard for me to write, so let's see how we go…

Warning: explicit violence and character death

* * *

Michonne walked hurriedly from near the administration building in the direction of a block of classrooms that she had not yet checked for Carl. She had asked a few people if they had seen him and none could remember if they had; Daryl said he would help her look after he did perimeter check. Her frustration was beginning to escalate as the darkness of the night crept steadily over the ever-fading sky. The secluded area of abandoned classrooms near the fence would be her last destination to look for the boy who was like her own son. She did not want him to go to sleep that night without talking through some of the issues he was facing in regard to the pregnancy. She knew his young mind would find it difficult to process the information; that he would draw a parallel between, and resort to the memory that was the most recent for him, which was his mother's pregnancy and her death.

Michonne was aware of what had happened to Rick's wife; the complications with Judith's birth and Carl having to put her down. Rick spoke about it briefly and infrequently, still carrying the guilt of not being able to protect her and not being there to save Carl from doing what he had to do. Michonne had never heard Carl speak about the incident. He would speak about his mother, but never about her death; now Michonne felt terrible that _she_ was causing him to remember the traumatic experience; that her own pregnancy was causing Carl to feel afraid. She had told Carl several months ago that he did not need to be afraid of her; it had never crossed her mind that the boy would be so afraid _because _of her. That he would be afraid of losing her, especially of losing her like this. It seemed he could handle the dangers of the runs that they went on and the constant threat of walker attacks, but what made him feel the most fear was losing Michonne in the same way that he had lost his mother.

Michonne had hoped that Carl would see reason; that he would understand that sometimes these things happened and that he should not be angry with his father. She knew he had a penchant for placing blame on his father; she had noticed that many of the survivors who followed Rick previously had shared the same proclivity to blame Rick for things that he, for the most part, had little or no control over. After all that they had been through recently, she was hopeful that, after he vented his anger, Carl would be calm enough to talk to them; that he would be calm enough to realize that being scared and being angry were very different, even though the two emotions were closely linked. She needed to tell him it was natural to be scared and that she was afraid also, and so was Rick; but they all needed to be _together_ to get through it in one piece. They needed to be on the same side and not resenting and blaming one another for things that may not ever come to pass. She was resolute in her intention to stay with Carl and talk to him for as long as he needed or wanted to; but first of all, Michonne just needed to find her boy.

* * *

Carl Grimes looked down to the ground where his hat had fallen after Thom had unceremoniously knocked it from his head seconds before. The teenager raised his eyes to the young man standing before him who smelled like he had been drenched in alcohol; he lifted his head to follow his line of sight and said clearly and determinedly:

"Fuck _me_? How about, fuck _you_!"

Carl spat the words slowly and evenly, not breaking his gaze with Thom. Brandon laughed incredulously and looked to Thom.

"Shit. He's got some balls, or maybe he's just stupid." The darkhaired man offered.

Thom clenched his right hand into a fist and narrowed his eyes.

"What did you say to me, boy?"

Carl let out his own disbelieving laugh and stared the man directly in the eyes; unflinching and unwavering.

"I think you're the one who's stupid," Carl offered staunchly. "Oh and I said _fuck you_."

Thom swung his fist and forcefully punched Carl in the stomach, causing the teenager to become winded; he doubled over in pain while trying to catch his breath. Brandon grabbed Carl from behind, holding him by both arms and made him stand so that Thom could land another punch to his stomach. Carl let out a pained groan and coughed as he gasped for air; he struggled to become free from Brandon's grip, but to no avail.

"Fuckin' hold him up straighter!" Thom ordered, and Brandon lifted Carl up once again, bringing the boy's arms further backwards causing him more discomfort.

Thom swung his fist and it connected with Carl's mouth; the blow forced the teenager's head violently to the side as blood spilled from where his lip had been split. Carl suddenly became somewhat too heavy for Brandon to hold and he let him fall to the hard ground, with his arms folded over his stomach, still unable to straighten up from the impact of the punches he had suffered. Thom, staggering slightly, drew his right foot back and used it to kick the teenager in the side, cracking a rib as he did so. Carl cried out in pain and tried to use his arm to shield his body from blow after blow inflicted by Thom's boot as he repeatedly kicked him another three or four times. He then leaned over and hit Carl in the face again and again; Carl brought his left arm up to block the next punch and used his left leg to kick Thom in the stomach, forcing the man to fall backwards onto the ground himself. The teenager's victory was short-lived as Brandon took it upon himself to drive his elbow hard into Carl's temple knocking him unconscious. The boy's body went limp and he fell back to the ground as a steady stream of blood poured from his nose and mouth.

Brandon, a little shocked at the force he had used, leaned down to check if the youngster was still breathing as Thom struggled groggily to make it back to his feet. He rested on one knee and stood slowly as he felt the sharp point of some kind of weapon pressed against his back. Before he could do or say anything, the blade of Michonne's katana ran through the back of his body and exited out of the front. He fell to the ground with a thud as she withdrew her blade and moved toward Carl's body and Brandon standing over him.

"Don't you fucking touch him." She murmured, barely audible, as she aimed her sword to Brandon's throat.

She was shaking as she glanced down to see the pool of blood that had formed on the ground near Carl's head. Rage filled her as she looked back to the darkhaired man while he slowly began to move away. Michonne lunged forward and used her sword to pierce Brandon right through the heart; she swiftly used her foot against his chest to leverage the katana as she simultaneously withdrew it and kicked his body away from Carl. She then dropped her weapon and fell to her knees next to the boy, tears streaming down her face and soft, pained whimpers escaping from her mouth. She placed her ear to his nose to see if he was still breathing and held two fingers to his neck to check for a pulse. He was breathing faintly and his pulse was weak; Michonne removed her headband and used it to wipe the blood away from Carl's battered face. She gently lifted him to her lap and held him close to her as she stroked his forehead and brushed his hair away from his face. She placed a soft kiss to his brow as she whispered to him, through her sobs and tears: "It's okay, baby boy, I've got you. I've got you, baby boy."

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry, I know that was as horrible to read as it was to write; hopefully my little mate Carl pulls through.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews. It's always tricky to write violence, especially against a character that I've come to care about, so I'm glad everyone was okay with it.

Now, some responses:

castlefan83: I remember you were spot on in saying those people were off; it was very perceptive of you!

Nina: It was breaking my heart to write that chapter. There's great tenderness within Michonne, and she has the capacity for it to be very natural to display said tenderness, especially when it comes to Carl.

Guest: Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts. I am glad that I was able to convey the protectiveness that Michonne has for Carl; she would definitely seek vengeance on _anyone_ who would foolishly hurt those she cares for. Also, I'm glad readers like my version of Rick; I find him extremely interesting. Given time, I hope that he could be this way in the show, even if it was just a little. He's my second favourite character, obviously Michonne is my number one!

GUEST: Ha! I know right, I am terrible. Sometimes after I finish writing a scene, or leave a chapter on a cliff hanger, I quietly tell myself how terrible I am *insert maniacal laugh here* lol

Alex311: Thanking you. Yes, Michonne would do anything to protect Carl, just as Rick would. That is why I love Richonne together, there is such a likeness in them that is unspoken. It's why the characters have so much chemistry, it is there underneath; the lengths to which they would go for those they love!

MissChocolateoxo: Aww your ugly cries comment made me lol because it is indeed true! I'm glad you brought up André. I would love to eventually try to write a scene that details what happened when she found him (I'd be ugly crying though!). I wanted it to be apparent that she would be going through the same terror that filled her when she found André, but did not want it to diminish her scene with Carl. So, I'm glad you recognised that parallel, clever lady you are :)

CM-x-SN-x-HP-x-roxmysox: Thank you so much for the kind words and your support. Glad you're enjoying my fic.

Guest: Thank you. It's always nice to receive feedback and know that readers are liking my fics. Indeed, pregnant Michonne is awesome!

DCSDaniele: Exactly, she will always try to be there to take care of Carl. She is compassionate, loyal and fierce and that is why I love her!

lanie-love09: That's great, I was aiming for the opening of the chapter to emphasise Michonne's desperation. I agree, she definitely knew something was amiss as her maternal instincts kicked in. Dear Lanie, you are good! Have I told you that before? Well, you are! I hoped that someone would mention that Carl was behaving in the same way he did in S2 by running off and throwing a tantrum. I obviously needed him to end up alone somewhere for the plot to develop, but I also wanted to show how immature he still is in many ways, having him act like S2 Carl was the easiest way for me to do that, and like always, you were right onto it! Oh and I totally agree, if they can't kill an adult-sized walker without a gun, then they need an escort.

Kam: They're mother effing wankers, that's how they could do that to him lol but seriously, it is sad that people can be so cold and violent, especially towards a kid. Oh and I'm glad you asked about the stupid Council because, just quietly, we may be hearing from them again!

Guest: I was aiming to wrench a few hearts hehehe Thanks for your feedback; it is appreciated!

KyannaLashae: My mate and fellow Richonne shipper refers to Michonne as Mama Bear as well. You make me smile :)

Okay, let's check in…

* * *

Daryl Dixon had just made his way to the last stretch of fence that needed checking as he walked the perimeter of the Settlement. The night had almost set in, save for the very last glint of light from the dying sun. He would be pleased when his duty for the day was finished as he felt uncommonly tired; although he had promised Michonne he would help her look for Carl, he did not mind because they were family. As Daryl stepped from behind the block of classrooms, what he saw forced the breath from his body; Michonne crying and cradling a blood-covered Carl near two dead bodies. Daryl rushed forward quickly and flopped down beside Michonne and Carl.

"What happened? 'Chonne, what happened? Talk to me." He pleaded, dread filling him as he looked down at Carl's battered and bloody face.

Michonne found it hard to get the words out between her violent sobbing.

"They hurt him, Daryl. Oh god, look at him!" She cried, holding him tighter.

"Is he…alive?" Daryl stammered, almost afraid to ask the question.

Michonne nodded but intentionally not meeting Daryl's eyes.

"Who in the Hell are they?" He asked as he moved to check the faces of the dead men.

"Fuck!" He let out loudly, as he recognized that they were the ones who Rick had had the trouble with before. "Fuckin' motherfuckers!"

Daryl paced backwards and forwards several times; trying to process the whole scenario that he had just wandered upon. He squatted back down beside Michonne and Carl, his face etched with worry and hers etched in sadness. He knew that what had occurred that afternoon could escalate and start an all-out war after Rick would inevitably see what had happened to his son. A war could also start if the leaders of the Settlement found out that two of their own were killed inside of the walls of the camp, even if it was in the defence of a teenager. Many of the survivors already thought that Rick's group were dangerous. The Council already knew of the animosity between Rick and Thom and had just recently rectified their initial problem; but what they were faced with presently was a huge mess. Rick's son had been beaten unconscious and Thom and Brandon lay dead at the hand of Rick's woman. There was no telling what would happen now, especially knowing the rules about violence within the Settlement and especially knowing that John, the main Council leader was the father of one of the dead men. Daryl had to think of a way to put this right; a way that protected his family and he had to think quickly.

"Rick." Michonne whispered, looking at Daryl with her tear-filled eyes. "Get Rick."

Daryl nodded, sprang to his feet and ran to where he knew he would find Rick.

A short while later, Rick, Tyreese and Daryl sprinted over to the area where Michonne and Carl were. Terror filled Rick's eyes as he saw Carl lying limply in Michonne's arms. Her eyes met his as more tears began to fall. Rick noted the apologetic look that she wore; how scared she seemed.

"He's okay." She whispered. "He's breathing. He just won't wake up. Rick, I can't get him to wake up." She cried as Rick moved closer to them and sat down. He used his water bottle to pour a small amount of water on his son's beaten face in an effort to rouse the boy. It did not work.

"He's knocked out." Said Ty after a short while, looking closely at the lump that had formed at Carl's temple, "He'll come to when he's ready, but we need to wet a cloth to keep him cool and to keep the swelling down; give him some space so he can get some fresh air on him. Rick, you gotta get him back to his tent. The two of you, take him back, make him comfortable and keep him cool; we got this. No one can know what happened here. We'll clean it up."

The job was going to be grisly, but it had to be done if they wanted to ensure that Michonne would be protected from the Council's wrath and admonishment. Daryl and Tyreese set about their task while each vaguely knew one way or another that Rick would soon return to assess the damage and assist them with what needed doing.

Daryl looked at Ty and nodded; they would take care of the bodies of the men who had attacked Carl. They would destroy any evidence that anything had ever happened there. Rick stood and dipped his head in agreement and acknowledgement. He gently moved Michonne's arms away from Carl as he lifted his son up carefully; Michonne moved to stand and followed behind Rick who held Carl in his strong embrace. She stopped suddenly, turned around walked back and picked up Carl's dusty hat from where it had fallen.

* * *

Rick sat at the opening of the tent, while Michonne sat inside, next to Carl and held the wet cloth to his brow. The swelling on his face appeared to become darker as it bruised and his breathing and pulse became stronger. Suddenly, Carl began to shift awkwardly as he groaned and opened his eyes. Michonne felt a wave of relief wash over her as Carl looked into her eyes and tried to offer her a smile although his mouth was sore. She beamed down at Carl and gently kissed his forehead.

"Hey you." She said. "You had me worried for a little while."

"I'm sorry. Where's dad?" He asked.

"I'm here buddy. It's okay." Said Rick weakly as he moved forward so Carl could see him.

"Those guys, the ones who did this to me…"

"Don't you worry about 'em. You're safe now. They can't hurt you now." Rick offered, his voice faltering slightly as he thought of how close they had come to causing Carl damage beyond repair.

"You rest." Said Michonne. "We'll talk about it in the morning."

The boy nodded in agreement and stayed quiet a moment before speaking once again.

"Michonne?" Carl started, fighting back tears. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

She smiled sadly at the teenager and said, "Of course I will, sweetie. I'm not goin' anywhere."

His father, on the other hand, needed to go back to Tyreese and Daryl to assist with the clean-up. He bid his family goodnight, grabbed a flashlight and ambled determinedly in the direction of the abandoned classrooms.

* * *

Later in the evening, after Carl had been examined properly and his wounds tended to, Michonne brought some food to him. The teenager was finding it difficult to chew because of his swollen, split lip, but managed to eat a portion of it to sustain what little strength he had left. Carl was finding it difficult to move with ease and ached all over. Michonne padded his sleeping area with as many sleeping bags and blankets that she could gather and settled in next to her stepson; he lay flat on his back and she on her side watching him. The dim glow of the lowly placed camping lantern made their shadows seem large and oppressive in the small space of the tent.

"Michonne?" Carl asked quietly. "Those men, did you?"

She nodded, already understanding what the boy wanted know; he was curious if they were dead.

"I took care of them; now your dad, Ty and Daryl are taking care of what I did."

Silence pervaded a small while before she went to speak again.

"They were tryin' to hurt your dad by hurting you. They were cowards. You don't need to think about 'em anymore." She stated adamantly before adding: "I won't let anyone hurt you Carl. You're like a son to me; I'd do anything to protect you, to keep you safe. I'm just so sorry I didn't get there earlier. I'm sorry that me and your dad upset you. We…"

"No." He interjected. "I get it now, you and dad don't have to be sorry; you guys didn't do anything wrong. I was just so pissed 'cause…I'm…scared. I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't…"

He became quiet again; Michonne waited patiently, knowing that Carl had more to say, he just needed to find the words.

"I just don't want you to die like my mom did. I don't wanna lose you too. I don't want my dad to go through it again. We're a family now, my dad is happy again; you're happy and I'm happy too. And I'm sorry for actin' like a jerk to you guys."

Michonne smiled warmly at Carl before she offered an admission of her own.

"I'm sorry for everything you had to go through, Carl. Everything with your mom, I know it couldn't have been easy for you and it's not fair. It's not fair on you, Judy…your dad."

Michonne stopped speaking a moment, contemplating what she would say next before continuing.

"It's natural for you to be scared and angry sometimes, just promise me you won't blame your dad too much. He already feels guilty about so many things."

Carl nodded knowingly as Michonne kept speaking.

"Ya know, this baby, it's not a terrible thing. Children are gifts, Carl. Just like you and Judith are special; just like André was special, this baby will be too."

Carl smiled at his stepmother as they both felt tears well in their eyes.

"I love you, Michonne." Said Carl earnestly and quietly.

"I love you too, Carl." Michonne replied, and with that the lantern was extinguished and both she and the teenager felt comfort in knowing the bonds of their family were strong.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Thanks for the review everyone! Michonne is awesome, don't you agree? Of course you do, that's why I love you! I think that she is very capable of being loving, caring, fierce, loyal and showing deep emotion.

What I don't like is when some fans of TWD series try to say that she was not an emotionally open character, especially with S3. They even went so far as to say that she was disloyal; hell to the no! I don't know what show they were watching, because it wasn't what I saw! Lol She cried openly for Andrea, in front of Rick and Daryl and was loyal to Andrea, despite that friendship falling apart.

I felt like screaming a quote from Morgana Pendragon (if anyone has seen my beloved **_Merlin_**, they'll know):

_"__Don't think I don't understand loyalty just because I've got no one left to be loyal to!"_

And then she found Carl and Rick and everyone else and everyone got to see what we already knew; Michonne is loving, caring and loyal.

Phew, don't mind me, I'm having a fangirl episode.

* * *

Okay, some responses:

literaturechick: It's cool right? How Ty and Daryl just offered their help without a second thought; that's what family is about.

Missy96: Sweet Michonne is great, isn't she? Glad I could make your eyes sweat hehehe

Alex311: I am so very sorry for your loss. I found it very touching what you said about second chances, wow, you're amazing! Thank you xx

CallyGreen: Thanks for leaving a review! I basically live for the moments between Michonne and Carl because they are so great together and I absolutely love writing them. I feel like the both of them have helped the other to heal in many ways.

Amrcncpprhd: Aww, Carl and Michonne's conversations give me life! Lol I love to write the dialogue between them. It's always real, fun, sweet and honest.

KyannaLashae: I agree, the Grimes family unit warms my heart too!

cakebythepound: Thank you for leaving your thoughts! I'm glad you mentioned _Rick's_ second chance; it all happened because of Rick, as a way to hurt him. The Council obviously know how far Rick's group would go to protect each other, so this could all go in a dangerous direction *insert suspenseful music here* Oh and yeah, funny how she's preggers in your story and had to have a little chat with a not-too-enthusiastic Carl as well. Nice work on that, bee tee dub! Great minds indeed!

Here4Funsies: Thank you for reviewing! Hahaha your comments made me smile; I adore Carl and Michonne as well. Yes, the Council is a real worry for our favourite survivors, so watch this space! Oh and I really do like making readers' eyes sweat if I can!

lanie-love09: For really reals I love your reviews haha it really would suck ass if he was brain damaged in the ZA. Oh and, just quietly _where in the hell are Rick, Ty and Daryl gonna find a bag of lime in the middle of the night during the zombie apocalypse _could easily be a fic prompt *wink wink*

: When it's a fic written by me, you should always be afraid for them! _Always!_ *laughs maniacally* but seriously, they might be okay… hehehe

Kam: Shhhhhh! Lol You're right, two well-known guys can't just up and vanish without someone asking questions. Hmmm…

Okay, I've had my fun; now let's see what's going on.

* * *

The small flashlight illuminated the lifeless face of the dead man; the three men who were alive stood in the dark and watched patiently. Suddenly, the dead man began to change as his body, _its_ body, jerked violently several times before its eyes opened widely. The irises, slightly yellow and covered by a light white film, lay at the centre of an orb that was dotted red by petechial haemorrhaging. It made dreadful groaning noises, reached its hands toward the three living men and moved to a sitting position, where it remained fleetingly until Rick Grimes drove the hunting knife forcefully into the top of its head. The walker, that used to be Thom, fell tersely to the ground with an unceremonious thud. Rick did not bat an eyelid as he wiped the bloodstained knife on his jeans and handed it back to Daryl.

Tyreese had wanted to lance the skulls of the dead men before they changed, but Rick had other ideas; after what they had done to his son he felt that type of dignified end was too good for them. Rick, Ty and Daryl stood for nearly twenty minutes waiting for the change to occur, aware that night had set in and they needed to execute the plan quickly. The change had happened to what used to be Brandon first, and Rick swiftly and deftly dispatched it in the same manner he had the latter. Now Daryl's plan could be fully and effectively enforced.

The plan entailed Daryl going to the Council member who handled security the following day and detailing that the fence near the abandoned classrooms was less than sturdy. He would proceed to inform them that he had to dispatch two walkers that had stumbled along to that location and began pushing against the fence. He would then detail how he went to fetch his friend Tyreese and some type of flammable liquid, both men climbed the fence, obviously at a more fortified spot and proceeded to drag the remains of the walkers away and torch them. This was done immediately to prevent other walkers showing up and gaining elevation by standing atop the fallen corpses, thus causing the already weakened fence to become more vulnerable. Before Daryl would relay this to the security person, Ty would return early in the morning with a shovel and turn the dirt to cover the dried blood on the ground in case someone came to inspect.

"Thank you." Rick offered to both Tyreese and Daryl. "You have no idea how much this means to us."

"No need to thank us." Said Ty. "We've gotta protect our own."

Daryl nodded in agreement.

"Yeah man, I mean, there's no way in Hell that fuckin' Council would let her stay after everything that happened with you as well. Shit, they wouldn't believe her and Carl anyways."

"Daryl, Ty, I'm serious. Thank you." Rick stated again.

"After what those pricks did to Carl, she did the right thing." Said Tyreese.

"I probably woulda done worse." Said Rick, a seriousness to his quiet tone as he looked to his friends, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and furrowed his brow.

"You guys gotta understand, I can't have Michonne in any danger right now. She's pregnant."

Both Ty and Daryl looked to Rick with widened eyes; Ty quickly shook Rick's hand to offer his congratulations and Daryl then followed suit.

"So ya see, you're not only protecting her, but you're also protecting my baby." Rick added.

The three men stood there and smiled; after the gruesome activities that they had just took part in because of how the world now was, they still found something beautiful to smile about.

* * *

The sensation of the cool water splashing on Rick's face brought him out of his tired state and made him feel alive and invigorated. What had happened with Carl and Michonne the previous night still weighed heavily on his mind, hence the reason he was still lethargic from his restless sleep. He hoped with everything that was within him that Daryl's plan would work. The part of him that still felt like a law enforcement officer cringed slightly at the fact that they had effectively covered up the killing of Thom and Brandon. The man he was now, the leader, the protector, _the father_, let that feeling wash over him, much like the cold water from this irregular solitary morning shower.

Rick walked briskly back to their eating area where Michonne was with Sasha, Carol and Judith; Carl was still asleep in his tent. Rick kissed Judith's head and gave Michonne's shoulder a gentle squeeze as he sat at the table next to her and took a sip from her coffee. By the bright smiles on the faces of Sasha and Carol that were aimed at him, he figured that Michonne had told them about the pregnancy. Rick looked at the two women and asked:

"What're y'all grinnin' at?"

Both women let out a chortle.

"It's true then, Rick? You really are repopulating the Earth, uh?" Sasha said jokingly.

Rick chuckled a little himself, glanced at Michonne and replied:

"Yeah, looks that way."

Their loud, cheerful laughter drew Carl out of his slumber; he tried to move but winced from the pain in his extremities. He gently pressed his hand to his face and mouth where it felt swollen; it was tender and caused him much discomfort. Carl shook his head and closed his eyes once more, understandably feeling a little sorry for himself. He did as Michonne had directed, and waited in the tent for his father.

* * *

Rick Grimes unzipped the tent where his son was waiting for him; he brought food and water for Carl and placed it down where Michonne had slept.

"Don't try to move too much." He said to his son, as Carl went to sit but found it too difficult.

The boy nodded and averted his gaze from that of his father's.

"How're you feelin'?" Rick asked as he sat beside Carl.

"Like crap." Was his son's answer.

"You'll be fine soon enough."

Both father and son fell silent a moment.

"Carl, we still need to talk about some stuff and things." Rick added quietly. "About the baby."

"I know, Dad. Me and Michonne had a good talk last night. I'm sorry for how I acted. I was just scared of losing her like we lost mom. I didn't wanna think of goin' through it again; I didn't want _you_ to go through it again." Said the teenager.

"I know… but it happens." Said Rick, fully understanding his son's point of view. "Women have been havin' babies since time began, that ain't gonna change."

"Yeah, like Michonne said, it's a gift. This baby is special, just like Judith, just like…" Carl stopped himself from saying André's name; he was unsure of if his father even knew. "Like all babies; this one will be special too."

Rick smiled at his son, sighed loudly and reached into his pocket to retrieve something; it was his wedding ring.

"Carl, before all of this drama hit us, I wanted to talk to you about somethin' else." Rick said as he held the ring tight in his closed hand.

"What is it, Dad?"

"Well, with everything that's happened in our lives, losing Lori, finding Michonne; starting over. I just wanted you to know that I haven't forgotten about your mom. She still has a place in my heart; just like Michonne has. There's room for both of 'em. There's room for you, and Judy…and the new baby."

Carl smiled a little and nodded knowingly; he realised long ago that caring for Michonne did not mean he cared any less for his mother. He was pleased his father had come to see that too.

"I know." Was all the teenager said, which cause Rick to exhale deeply out of relief.

Rick used his thumb and finger to hold his wedding ring up so that Carl could see it. Carl instinctively looked to Rick's left hand and noticed that he had removed it; he stayed quiet, waiting for his father to speak.

"I want you to have this…"

"Dad?" Carl questioned.

"Please, son, hear me out. I want you to have my wedding ring so that you'll always have some good memories of your mom and of our family; you'll remember how much your mom meant to me and that you and Judy are here because of that. You keep it and let it remind you of how much we love you kids."

Carl's eyes began to tear up as he came to understand what Rick was saying to him. He knew that by giving the ring to him, it was a way for his father to move forward; it was a way that he could show his commitment and love for Michonne without disregarding what he had with Lori.

"Thanks Dad." Carl finally said as he took the ring from his father's grasp. "We love you too."

* * *

A/N: So this was really focussed on Rick because I felt like he was left out of the previous instalment a little (not that anyone mentioned because we love Carl and Michonne too hehe).

I wanted Rick to give Carl his ring for a while now but had to wait for the right time; and because I am obsessed with it! Lol It stands out on the TV series and while I don't love it, I don't hate it either. Here's some trivia about me and mine; my dear old mother gave her wedding ring to my older sister after my sister's dad died and,some 13 years later, mum married my father. She said something along the lines of what I've written and my sister was okay with it (she calls _our _father 'dad' now too!) so I guess I'm saying people remember, people move on, it gets easier and there is always, _always_ room in our hearts to love someone else truly and deeply! Okay, I'm gonna go cry somewhere now lol then call my parents!


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Needed to take a little break from this one to get a few other stories started, and now that S5 has started, I'm ready to get back to this story. This instalment is a filler and focusses mainly on Rick in the aftermath of all that has happened; I've slowed down on the action a bit. Thanks everyone for the reviews.

* * *

Rick Grimes toiled away in the midday heat; using his shovel to pierce and disrupt the soil in the communal garden at the Settlement. It had been two days since Carl had been attacked by Thom and Brandon; two days since Michonne had killed them; two days since Tyreese and Daryl helped Rick to cover it all up; and one day since Gary from the Council, under the advisement of John, began and led the search for the two young men. A large number of able-bodied survivors were sent to search the surrounding areas for any sign of them. A few of Rick's people were asked too; Maggie, Sasha, Glenn, Tara, Daryl and Ty. Rick was not asked to assist because of his probation; Michonne was not asked because of her current condition; and no one had seen Carl for two days.

Rick and Michonne both did their best to act a little surprised at the news that the two men had gone missing. It seemed that the cover story Daryl Dixon had concocted about walkers and a weakened fence was plausibly received by the Council. It seemed that many of the residents began to wonder if the damage to the fence was done by Thom and Brandon in an effort to leave the Settlement unnoticeably for some reason or another as it was a widely accepted rule that no one was to leave the secured area after dark. Several survivors, knowing how the two young men behaved, thought it was quite possible that they had ventured outside, disregarding the set rules and ran into trouble.

"I heard they were pretty wasted." Said one of the young women whose work duties meant she visited the garden regularly; the young man she was speaking with nodded in agreement as Rick listened to their conversation.

"Yeah, that's true. Shari actually saw them stumblin' 'round passin' a bottle between 'em; they were lookin' for Gary. They were pretty lit." He offered as he handed her a bundle of vegetables and continued to help her to load the fresh produce into a wheelbarrow.

"Well what did Gary say? Does he know somethin'? I mean, it's strange that they'd just go off like that without tellin' somebody where they were goin'. Maybe they did jump the fence, I mean, they're pretty reckless usually, but bein' wasted wouldn't have helped the situation. You know what they're like, the dumbasses."

She reasoned, before looking around to see if anyone had heard her speaking ill of them. She noticed Rick kneeling down not too far from where she stood with the barrow. The young woman looked at the young man, raised her eyebrows and tilted her head in Rick's direction, as if to remind her companion that Rick had previously had issues with Thom. She was obviously quite partial to gossip, and feeling a little courageous when she decided to address Rick directly.

"Hey, Mr Grimes? Can I ask you somethin'?" She queried as Rick lifted his head and turned to look at the two young people.

He stood and dusted his gloved hands on his jeans before nodding in affirmation.

"Ask away." was all he said as he walked closer to the two of them; the young man seemed nervous in Rick's presence and looked visible disconcerted.

"Well, what do you think happened to Thom and Brandon?" She asked confidently, but then her demeanour changed when she saw the dubious expression that crossed Rick's face.

"Girl, don't play dumb with me; say what you're really thinkin'." Was Rick's stern reply.

She looked to her companion who looked back at her and shook his head slightly in an effort to deter her from following her line of questioning. Rick Grimes did not seem like the type of man that you played games with, or brought into your idle chit chat. The young woman swallowed loudly, now feeling foolish for bringing the man into their conversation; he had this cold stare sometimes that made a lot of the other survivors feel unnerved.

"No, I just, um, wanted to know, ya know, what you thought mighta happened. I didn't mean anythin' by it, Mr Grimes; I just want to know what you think happened is all."

She lied nervously; what she really wanted to ask was if Rick _knew_ what happened to the two men, since there was bad blood between them. His steely gaze changed her mind; she found Rick to be intimidating, especially when he was not in any mood for small talk and gossip.

"I don't _think_ anything about 'em; they stay away from me, I stay away from them. It's that simple. And I don't like bein' brought into things that don't concern me, so if you don't mind, I'm gonna go back to diggin' this hole."

With that, Rick turned and walked back to where he was before; continuing with his work. The young woman and man quickly and quietly finished their duties and she left. Rick forced the shovel into the ground so that it stood in place. He removed his gloves and put them in his back pocket before wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. The slight grumbling in his stomach hastened his departure from the garden as he went to check on his son.

"How long do I have to stay here, Dad?" Asked Carl, completely bored from being stuck in his tent the past couple of days.

"Until you feel better." Was Rick's short answer.

"Dad, I feel better. I really do." The teenager tried to convince his father that his recovery was swift; the boy neglected to mention that his ribs still hurt.

"That's good, son. I'm glad you feel better, but until you're able to lift the shovel without hurtin' that rib, then you ain't goin' anywhere." Offered Rick as he finished the last of his lunch.

"Besides, those bruises still haven't gone away, and too many people have been askin' too many questions. Please, Carl, just another day. Just 'til things quieten down a bit."

The boy nodded knowingly; he understood how delicate the situation was presently but was fast running out of comic books to read and hated to sit back while everyone else had something to do.

"Okay, it's just so _boring, _Dad! Michonne hasn't been able to visit 'cause it's only been her and pervy Brett at the rations store lately while everyone else is out looking for those guys." Carl said, slightly annoyed.

"Firstly, 'pervy Brett?' and secondly, I'm not that boring, am I?" Rick asked, pretending to be offended. "I know I'm not Michonne, but I like to think I can be _fun_ too."

Carl laughed loudly at his father's statement.

"Dad, are you for real? You? Fun? Just stick to what you do best, and leave the fun to Michonne, okay?" The boy exclaimed, still amused by his father's erroneous view of himself.

"Oh and yeah, pervy Brett. He's havin' all the fun with her now while we're sittin' here bored and sweaty!"

Laughed Carl, unaware of how much it irked his father when he thought of Brett having 'fun' with Michonne. Carl and Rick definitely had different ideas about what fun meant. Rick decided he would take a walk over to the rations store to check on his pregnant lady, and to make sure that Brett was not enjoying her company too much.

* * *

Michonne smiled warmly as she let Rick into the backdoor of the store before locking it behind him. The small brick structure always seemed cooler than the other buildings in the Settlement; Rick reasoned it was because the room was nearly always dark on account of the windows and doors remaining closed. He thought it was one of the reasons she opted to undertake duties there; it was cool and very private.

"Hey, what's up?" Michonne asked, as she went back to her sitting position atop the sorting table.

"Nothin' much." He answered taking a seat and staring at her a moment.

"You check on Carl?" She queried and Rick nodded.

"Yeah, he's bored." Came his response.

They both chuckled knowing how annoyed Carl could get if he had nothing to do.

"Aww poor baby." She laughed. "When will you let him out?"

Rick ran his fingers through his hair then cracked his knuckles on both hands; his expression becoming serious.

"Tomorrow, maybe. Somethin' happened earlier when I was workin' the garden. Got me thinkin'." He began before looking around the room.

"Where's your boyfriend?" He asked sarcastically, wanting to ensure they were alone before he continued with his story.

"Oh, you mean my daytime lover Brett?" She mocked. "He's out helpin' the search parties, so it's okay Grimes, we can continue our secret affair until he gets back."

They both started laughing at their private running joke.

"Daytime lover? Remind me to fuck him up after all of this shit calms down." Rick said, a little too serious for Michonne's liking.

"God, Rick, you cannot take a joke. Leave him alone, he's just a kid with a stupid crush." She offered. "Now what were you sayin'?"

"I can take a joke, see," he pointed to his face. "This is my happy face."

Michonne rolled her eyes playfully before saying: "Rick, you were saying?"

"Right, yeah. Well, some nosy girl was askin' me what I _thought_ happened to those two pricks. Like she knew we got into shit before, like she was lookin' for gossip. These fuckin' people 'Chonne, I just don't know sometimes." He said, looking concerned.

"Want me to go and kick her sorry ass for you?" Michonne asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Rick let out a chortle and smiled, still slightly amazed at how she could turn his disposition from sour to sweet with a few words; even if they were threatening words.

"Nah, it's fine. Just worried that people are gonna catch on." He said, letting his grin fall away again.

Michonne gestured for Rick to approach her; he stood from his seat and sauntered to where she was sitting on the table. He stopped before her and she used her hands to grasp his belt to draw him nearer; Rick was now standing right in front of Michonne and her legs were at his waist. She placed her arms over his shoulders and looked into his eyes.

"Hey." She started. "We'll be alright. You've done more than enough to protect us, Rick. We'll get through this. Everything will work out, and if it doesn't, shit, we'll just kill 'em all."

Rick chuckled slightly at her last comment knowing she was only joking, but realizing that if it ever came down to saving those he cared about by spilling some blood, then the blood would surely flow. He held her gaze as he nodded his head; she always had this gift of reassuring Rick when he doubted the situation, doubted _himself. _He placed his hands on her thighs and squeezed them gently before gripping her backside and pulling her closer to him. Rick pressed a languid kiss to her plump lips before moving his mouth to her neck; knowing exactly what kind of response he wanted to elicit from her.

Michonne exhaled deeply and tilted her head to the side to grant him better access to her smooth skin as he gently and skilfully sucked and licked the area that drove her wild with desire. She closed her eyes and let her hands slide down Rick's arms as she held on to him tightly. He smelled of soil and sweat and she found him to be intoxicating as her mind went blank at the feeling of his lips. Rick brought his mouth back to meet hers again before there came a frantic knocking on the door. Rick, annoyed at being interrupted, opened the door to find out who it was. He was shocked to see Carl standing outside looking concerned.

"What's going on? I told you to stay inside…"

Carl interjected for he feared there was little time to listen to one of his father's lectures.

"You have to come quick! I can't find anyone else. There's a herd of walkers pushing on one of the fences; it's not gonna hold if we don't do something!"

Rick looked to Michonne before following behind Carl who was still moving with difficulty because of his injuries; Michonne jumped off of the table, grabbed her katana, locked the door behind her and sprinted after Rick and Carl. She stopped in her tracks, a little taken aback when she saw the huge number of walkers in the herd; it looked like there were up to fifty of them hissing and groaning as they leaned on the fence. Michonne gathered her composure, unsheathed her sword and ran over to where a young man, young woman, Carl and Rick had begun to dispatch them. Her katana met the head of one of the walkers just as the search parties returned to the Settlement. People started to pile out of the vehicles and made their way over hurriedly to assist. Rick noticed them and told Carl to go back to his tent. He went to protest but saw his father's stern expression and thought better of it. He pulled his hat low to his face, put his head down and walked quickly in the opposite direction; hoping that Gary and a few others would not see his bruises and come asking questions that led to difficult answers.

* * *

A/N: Here's a little hint about what's in store, someone's gonna come asking questions; how will Rick handle it?

Also, if anyone's been reading my other fic _Broken Road_, you might notice cock-blocking Carl, at it again! Lol

Thanks for reading.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I love hearing what you all have to say!

Responses, because I think you're all so wonderful for taking the time to read and review:

Guest: I actually didn't even mean to have Carl cock blocking in both fics, just turned out that way. I may have just been lazy about writing sex scenes so threw Carl in to block the cock LOL I don't know if he'll make a habit of it! Might throw Judith in as well…I should write cock-blocking Brett in this fic, but Rick might end up shooting him Lol

Here4Funsies: I had to laugh at your comments about cock-blocking Carl LOL I'm not sure if he can stop! Pretty sure the next time I get lazy and don't wanna finish writing Richonne sexiness, he shall return hahaha Although, I felt bad for being a tease afterwards and wrote a Richonne lemon shot and then ended another fic with some decent sex. So maybe every time cock-blocking Carl shows up in one of my stories, I write two others with Richonne sex? Gosh, this could become a thing…

literaturechick: I like writing intense Rick and playful Michonne, although, she can get pretty intense too! I like to think that they're pretty much reserving the playfulness for each other :)

Alex311: Aww I know how much you enjoy this fic and I always find it cool how excited you get when there's an update (did you do your happy dance? Please tell me you did your happy dance!). Now, what to do with this Carl? I think Michonne might actually have the answer to that one…And badass Rick certainly has an edge to him; I've loved writing him in this fic.

Mrs. KayDeeEmm: You made me laugh so hard when I read your review! Carl really does need to go and sit down somewhere! Aw, I wish I could say that you shouldn't be afraid for them, but I can't promise anything. As I was writing Rick's scene with the nosy girl, I kind of thought he might end up going off at her, but toned it down. I also thought about having Michonne say something to her, but changed my mind. Point is, no one is safe from Rick and co, maybe, I don't know…keep reading hahahaha

Kam: Well, all I can say is someone was watching and someone took notice of Carl's appearance and you know how the other people at the Settlement can be… Drama, drama, drama! Hehehe

Amrcncpprhd: I feel sorta bad for Brett, Rick just doesn't like him at all. Here's some trivia: the inside joke about teasing Michonne about Brett comes from my sister and her partner. There was this older bloke who had the hots for my sister and didn't hide it. We'd all tease her (even our dad got in on it); I even made up a shipping name for 'em lol (I know, I'm cracked), and my brother-in-law started teasing her about him too because the rest of our family did it for shits and giggles. It was all fun and games until the bro started getting jealous because my sister started using the ship name and calling the other bloke her 'daytime lover' haha I get inspiration from everywhere…But laughs aside, I'm really worried that Rick is gonna stab Brett or something! Lol I'm joking, maybe…

Okay, enough of my morbid sense of humour, let's get back to this story! There's some action in this instalment and Michonne sets her boys straight…

* * *

Rick stood on the inside of the Settlement watching Michonne through the wire fence; his heart felt like it was in throat as the nervous sweat ran down his brow. Some others were frantically trying to fortify the fence with logs and steel pegs, but all Rick could do was stare at Michonne. It was as if he was frozen with fear. She, along with a few other survivors who were adept at killing walkers at close range were dispatching the leftovers from the herd that had begun to press against the fence. Rick hastily and boisterously objected to her joining the others outside, but she insisted she had to as the number of walkers were too great and the others from the camp were yet to return from the search. In that moment, they needed all the help they could get.

Michonne's sword decapitated one as another seemingly came out of nowhere and forced her to the ground after she lost her footing. As Michonne fell to her back, her katana was knocked from her grip. Rick instinctively reached for his sidearm, but remembered it had been confiscated as part of his probation. He then started banging the crowbar he was holding against the fence post and yelling in an effort to distract the walker that had pinned Michonne down; it ignored Rick and continued trying to bite and scratch her. Just as its dead weight was almost becoming too much for Michonne to hold back, Maggie lanced its head with her hunting knife and the walker collapsed on top of the pregnant woman. She was then able to throw its body aside before Maggie helped her to her feet and began searching her body for markings. Daryl stabbed the last remaining walker through the face with one of his arrows, and the group members caught their breath as they surveyed their body count.

Rick's voice was hoarse as he called to Michonne who looked shocked and relieved all at once. Rick clutched onto the wire mesh as she neared his position, placing her hand over his as best she could.

"You okay?" He asked, concern evident in his tone as his chest heaved rapidly.

She nodded; "Just a little puffed out. Shit, I'm getting so unfit."

They shared a small laugh before Rick urged her to step closer; he motioned for her to draw her face nearer and placed a loving kiss to her lips through the wire.

"Look, Grimes, everyone has to pull their fuckin' weight 'round here. If they don't, then we'd never get anythin' done." Said Gary as he and Rick Grimes stood toe-to-toe near the newly fortified fence.

"And I don't give a flyin' fuck if nothin' gets done, she's _not_ goin' back out there to help clean up anything. You go round up some big strong men, like yourself, and get them to load and cart the dead. Michonne's not doin' it. So you can kindly fuck off out of my face now!" Said Rick as he stepped closer to the man.

Michonne stood behind Rick ready to spring into action if their heated discussion went south; the rest of their group, as well as others from the camp, were standing around the two men whose tempers were flaring.

"Lay off, Gary." Said Glenn. "She shouldn't be doing heavy lifting anyways! We're lucky she came out and helped kill the rest of the walkers, she doesn't need to clean-up. There's enough of us to get it done. It's fine; leave it alone."

"No one fuckin' asked you!" Gary spat as he turned to look at the young man.

"Hey!" Said Rick loudly, getting Gary's attention once more. "And no one is askin' you either, I'm tellin' you; she's not fuckin' going anywhere. You got it, asshole?"

Gary became angrier at Rick's insolence; his nose flared and his breath quickened: "Well, where's that son of yours?"

"He's busy." Replied Rick immediately, still staring him down.

"Well get his little ass over here then, we could use more hands." Said Gary.

"I said he's busy, what part of that don't you understand? I knew you were a dumb shit, but are you really stuck on stupid or somethin', you redneck prick?" Asked Rick, almost laughing in the man's face.

At this, Gary became infuriated and grabbed the collar of Rick's shirt before Glenn and Daryl jumped between them.

"Come on now!" Daryl spoke to Gary as he stood in front him, while Glenn rested a tentative hand at Rick's shoulder and Michonne pressed her hand to the small of Rick's back.

"The man don't want his family involved, so leave 'em be. We're losin' daylight out here, let's just do what we gotta do." Continued Daryl.

There were mumbles of agreement from the group as a few started walking off to start the clean-up. Rick offered Gary a smug grin before patting Glenn on the back, turning to take Michonne by the hand and leading her away.

* * *

Carl sat quietly back in his tent, waiting for the stern homily his father was sure to deliver once the excitement had all died down. The teenager was not going to apologize for assisting when he heard the young woman frenziedly screaming for help; but he would, once again, acknowledge the need for his father's concern. It was obvious there were still a few residents of the Settlement who did not particularly like Rick; the attack on Carl was evidence enough of the lengths some people would go to in an effort to cause Rick harm. Carl moved to sit with some difficulty because of his injuries as he heard Rick and Michonne approaching. Rick peered through the canvas flap and gestured for his son to step out. The boy complied with his father's wishes and, cautiously aware of who might be watching, the three of them ambled over to a secluded area.

"What the Hell was that, Carl? I thought I told you to stay inside?" Rick started.

"I had to help, Dad! I had to." Was his reply. "I'm sorry I disobeyed you, but I'm not sorry I helped. I did it to protect us."

Rick exhaled deeply, feeling his irritation slip away as his son made a valid point; he understood the need to protect those he cared for. Rick nodded before continuing.

"You know we gotta be careful right now, 'til things die down a bit…" Rick said before Michonne interrupted him.

"I should kick both your asses!" She said abruptly and quite clearly upset.

The Grimes men turned to look at her, surprised by her outburst; they looked at each other, then back to Michonne but did not utter another word.

"You, Carl. You were told to _stay inside! _You can barely move properly, and you wanna go against a herd of walkers! What were you thinking? What if the fence was overrun? Then what? You'd be an easy meal!" She exclaimed, her eyes glazing over as the teenager's face dropped.

"You fuckin' do as you're told, do you hear me!" She shrieked as her eyes became teary. "I'm not gonna have anything happen to you, so you just stay inside!"

"I'm sorry..I, I didn't think…" Started Carl, his own eyes starting to water.

"Stop! None of us ever think, we just act. I don't wanna hear it!" Came her reply.

Rick reached for her shoulder and began to speak softly.

"Hey, hey. It's okay…" Rick offered gently, in an attempt to calm her down.

"Don't!" She yelled. "And you, Rick! Why the fuck do you have to go and bait these assholes? I thought we were keepin' a low profile? Then you get in Gary's face? I can't handle the two of you right now! How am I gonna protect you when you both go and act so reckless!"

Rick became a little irked by Michonne's words; he had always thought he was the protector and he had something to say about her recent actions as well.

"You don't have to protect me, Michonne." Rick shot back. "I have to protect you! And speakin' of reckless, you just go out and kilI walkers in your condition after I say you can't!"

"Oh screw you, Rick! You don't get to tell me what I can and can't do, okay! You don't own me!"

She said and it came out more hurtful than she had meant it to. Rick, clearly taken aback, folded his arms and squinted at her, but still said nothing; he knew how emotional pregnant women could be and instead decided to let her say what was on her mind.

"I had to do it, because you couldn't! You can't step outside of these fences, Rick. One of us has to be able to protect everyone when the other can't! And don't go takin' that the wrong way, 'cause you know very well what I mean!" She spat before starting to walk away.

Realization set in; he knew she was right. He had effectively made it more difficult to protect his family because of his short temper. He was not allowed outside, he could not carry a weapon and the Council watched him closely. While things had happened and they could not be taken back, Rick had to concede that he had to behave differently, at least for the time being. He also needed to admit that Michonne protected their group and their family as much as he did; she would do whatever it took to protect them, just as he would. Rick moved forward and gently took hold of her arm, Carl was a few steps behind his father.

"Don't touch me! I'm so pissed at you right now!" Michonne yelled as she half-heartedly pulled away from Rick, tears falling from her eyes in frustration.

"I love you both so much! If anything happened to either one of you assholes, I'd die, okay! So just fuckin' do as you're told and keep your heads down and your mouths shut!"

With that, Michonne turned and walked off upset, using her hands to wipe her tears. She left both Rick and Carl standing there in silence, to think about their respective behaviour and how they were going to make it up to Michonne.

* * *

A/N: Aww, don't worry too much about their argument, my girl's just frustrated because she loves 'em. It means there'll be time for some Richonne making up (and now that Carl's grounded by Michonne, who means business, he shouldn't be there to cock block!).

Any ideas on how the Grimes boys can make it up to Michonne? I'm thinking chocolate; doing her laundry; foot rub; actually doing what they're supposed to do for once; more chocolate…

Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Also, thank you to the new readers who have added this story to their favourites or followed. It means a lot that you have joined me for this journey.

Now, some responses because I appreciate you all so much!

literaturechick: I needed her to still be able to express her love while tearing them a new one; after all, that's why she was upset, because she cares for them so much. I agree, Rick is still a force to be reckoned with, that's not gonna change; but I think he's going to at least try to keep his temper in check.

KyannaLashae: Haha I didn't mean to make you flustered, well, perhaps just a little! Oh and I was worried about constant updates, but you are most welcome.

lanie-love09: Hmmm, strip poker, you say? Rick might just have find himself a deck of cards…

Alex311: I'm glad you sensed the urgency Rick felt being on the inside of the fence and not being able to help Michonne. I wanted that to say a lot about their situation right now. While they are relatively safe, there are still dangers inside and out of the Settlement and they need to be smart. The fact is, there isn't much Rick can do about certain situations, while he will do everything in his power to protect his family, it remains that he is not allowed a weapon or to venture outside. And it's exactly right what you said; it's placed more responsibility and pressure on Michonne because she's had to step up and carry a heavier load. Thank you for always engaging me in discussion about our beloveds!

Kam: Oh yes! Michonne is so loyal to the Grimes boys; they drive her crazy, but she loves them. Oh, and Gary is someone who needs watching…

Cakebythepound: Lol have a stadium of seats, Rick. Sit your skinny ass down! Haha he needs to step back a little, I agree. Hmmm, what would they do without Michonne indeed? Don't go giving me ideas for plots that you might not be able to handle… Okay, I'll try to make it all better, maybe *insert maniacal laughter*

Mrs. KayDeeEm: Oh, I swear I was channelling you when I wrote this. He'll be sitting down somewhere now that Michonne laid down the law.

masterphantom05: Thanks for your review, and for checking out my fic! Yes, they both say what they're thinking when it comes to protecting each other, Carl included.

ezillyamused: Hello! Thanks for the reviews; so glad you're enjoying my story. I can't help but smile at the mention of blushing; I feel as if my work here is done when I can elicit a physical response (as long as it's not vomiting lol).

Alright, we should find out what's going on now…

* * *

Michonne stood inside of the rations store alone; feeling a slight aching in her temple. She was still annoyed by the way both Carl and Rick had behaved. After everything that had transpired, she wanted nothing more than to protect her loved ones, but they were making it extremely difficult at the present time. She only hoped that they understood her reasoning for being short with them. Michonne waited silently for Rick to approach; she knew he would seek her out. She knew he would not want to leave anything unsaid between the both of them; after all, they had worked so hard to move forward. While she felt marginally bad for losing her temper, she knew her outburst was justified. She just hoped that Rick would not hold it against her. They had found themselves in troubled times; all she could do was be true to her own rationalization. Stand firm in her intentions. She wanted her family to settle into a reasonably quiet life until everything settled down, even if it was just for the time being. Life inside the Settlement depended upon it; surely Rick understood that. Surely he would come to a compromise and try to rein in his temper. She could not begin to understand how trapped he must feel while on probation; she did not want him to feel like he was inadequate, she only wanted him to be safe. After all of the torment, after all of the uncertainty, Michonne wanted Rick to continue to be the man she fell in love with; but not at the steep cost of their family's safety. Surely, he would understand.

There came a soft rapping at the door. Michonne hoped that it was Rick as she stepped forward and unlocked the clasp.

"Brett? You're back. How did the search go?" She asked, knowing full well that the search for Thom and Brandon would be an unfruitful one.

The young man appeared to be shaken as he shifted on his feet and clenched his hands together tightly.

"Ah, not too good." Brett offered. "No sign of them. How are you?"

"I'm okay." She said. "There was some action earlier on; nothing we couldn't handle."

"Yeah I heard…But you're okay?" Brett asked, genuinely concerned for her welfare.

"Yeah. Just a little overwhelmed."

Michonne answered, still looking visibly distressed from her argument with Rick earlier in the day.

"How so?" He asked, giving her the once over.

"It's nothing. Really, it's fine." She offered, unwilling to share more of her personal business than needed sharing.

Brett seemed to grow annoyed, which she thought was out of character, as he readied himself to continue.

"You look upset. What did he do now?" The young man asked, searching Michonne's deep brown eyes.

"What do you mean? What did who do?"

"You know what I mean. What did _Rick _do now? To upset you?" Brett queried; encompassing a completely different manner than Michonne was used to.

"Nothing." She offered. "Rick's being his usual self. What's gotten into you, Brett? You seem…different."

Brett stood silently for a brief moment, as if he were weighing up his response. He let his head bow a moment before proceeding.

"Fuckin' Hell, Michonne. Every time you're here upset, it's because of _him. _I for one am sick of it. He doesn't deserve you!" Brett exclaimed, obviously irked at Rick for some reason.

"Brett!" Michonne said, surprised by his demeanour. "Where's this coming from?"

"I'm sorry for bein' so blunt." He offered. "But I can't stand to see you upset."

Brett stepped closer to Michonne as she suddenly became aware of the limited space they both occupied.

"I'm alright." She lied, not wanting to aggravate the situation seeing as her friend appeared to be unstable at that moment.

"Good." Brett offered, becoming somewhat contemplative.

Silence pervaded the small, dark room as Michonne moved from where she was standing and inched closer to the door.

"Brett? What happened out there?" Michonne asked, truly concerned by her friend's changed manner.

He looked at her then shook his head.

"We went into town; searched a few local houses. Came upon what we thought was a quiet place. Me and Jake went inside…Shit." Brett trailed off, seemingly discouraged to continue.

"You went inside…" Michonne offered, urging Brett to finish his recount.

"We went inside…three walkers rushed us. Jake was bitten…I barely made it out."

"Fuck." Michonne said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Brett answered. "I think so, I could've died out there today, for nothing. It just got me thinkin' about things."

"For nothing?" She asked, but he ignored her question and continued speaking.

"I didn't want to let another day go by without me tellin' you how I feel."

It went quiet once more while Brett glanced at Michonne again.

"Brett..Please, don't." She said softly, aware of where the conversation was headed.

"No!" He exclaimed. "I have to…I need you to know…Michonne, I…I think I love you."

Michonne was taken aback; she knew Brett was still shaken by his brush with death and by the loss of his friend. She figured he was confused and, in the heat of the moment, had come to a misunderstanding about their friendship.

"No. No, Brett. You don't love me. You're just…stunned; excitable because of the adrenaline. You almost didn't make it and you're confused. You don't feel anything like that for me."

"No, Michonne. I know what I'm feeling. I love you more than he does. I can protect you. He just puts you in danger all the time. They told me about what happened before. Michonne, I love you. I'll do anything for you. I know people look at me and think I'm weak, but I'm not. I can protect you. If Rick was out of the picture, I could make your life easy. I could look after you and the baby. He's dangerous. He doesn't love you like I love you."

The young man seemed frantic as his voice became somewhat louder.

"Brett, you're scaring me. Please, listen to yourself. This isn't like you."

"This is like me! This is how I want to be, how I need to be…for you."

"You don't have to be anything for me; it's not happening, Brett. We're friends, remember? That's all. I'm with Rick, that's not gonna change."

He remained silent a moment as her words sank in and caused a stabbing sensation in his chest.

"I know what happened, Michonne. He can't protect you, I can. I know you killed Thom and Brandon. I saw you. Rick can't help you like I can." He whispered.

"Brett?"

"I won't tell anyone," He started as he walked to one of the walls and leaned his head against it in frustration and heartache. "I won't put you in danger. I'd never hurt you. I love you…"

_Bang bang bang._

Three loud knocks came at the door and Michonne almost ran to see who it was. She unlocked and opened it to see an apologetic looking Rick Grimes standing there. His expression changed to one of deep concern when he saw the look on Michonne's face; she looked shaken, almost afraid.

"What's wrong?" Asked Rick quietly, holding her gaze.

Michonne looked to Brett who had not moved from the wall, shook her head and narrowed her eyes as if to tell Rick: _not here, not now._ She silently gestured for Rick to step back from the door while she positioned herself halfway outside.

"Brett, I've gotta go now. We'll talk 'bout this later, okay?" She offered, not waiting for a response from him and closed the door.

Michonne quickly grabbed Rick by the hand and hurriedly led him away. When they reached a secluded area, she stopped and faced Rick who looked confused and worried.

"About before…" He started.

"Don't worry about that now. We've got something bigger to worry about."

She said, looking around in a paranoid manner, then meeting Rick's gaze; she looked scared and it frightened Rick. He instinctively stepped close to Michonne and drew her into an embrace; he could feel her shaking slightly. His mind raced as all manner of horrible scenarios ran through it. _The baby, _he thought suddenly as he pulled away so that he could look at her face.

"What's wrong?" He asked. "Is the baby alright?"

She nodded: "The baby's fine, I'm fine; fuck! This is so messed up."

"What is it? Talk to me." Rick pleaded.

"He knows." She began. "Brett knows."

"Knows what?" Rick asked, confused by what Michonne was telling him.

"About Thom and Brandon; he saw me."

Realization set in as his face dropped and a stony expression set in. Rick said nothing as he immediately turned and started to walk hastily back toward the rations store.

* * *

A/N: Drama and more drama! Hey, does anyone remember Brett was in this story from Chapter 1? He had his little crush on Michonne way back then then, but now shit just got real! What will Rick do? More to come soon!

Thanks for reading and hello to new followers! *waves like a crazy lady* :)


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews; you have to realise how much inspiration I get from them. I'm loving the polarities in opinion about whether or not Rick should kill Brett. I like Brett, but I am not above killing him! Is he reasonable enough for Rick to talk to? Is it too dangerous to have him knowing what Michonne did? Did his brush with death change him?

Yay, chapter 20! Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me from the first chapter and to the new readers as well!

Some responses:

castlefan83: I had to have a little chuckle at your review because killing Brett (and any of the others) is a real option for me; but I'll shut up in case I spoil it lol

Alex311: I take into consideration everything that people say about my fics and characterisations; I can see why you like edgy Rick, I like edgy Rick as well (which is why I wrote him this way). He can be both; he can keep his edge as well as remain loving and gentle with his family. I think you're right about there being a level of obsession to his relationship with Michonne; he's slightly possessive, and, all things considered I think it's understandable. It certainly adds to the drama!

Kam: It makes sense for Rick to lay low, and maybe not even say anything to Brett, let alone kill the man. You are right, they do need to catch a break…We're getting there, just need a few more plotlines out of the way first!

cakebythepound: You are spot on! It would be irrational to kill Brett right now; but is Rick gonna be rational? Is he really going to listen to what Michonne said? Oh and I'm glad you pointed out Brett badmouthing Rick lol no one else said anything about it. Although I did want people to feel bad for him when he voiced his feelings, I don't think he needed to speak ill of Rick (though, Rick has always given him shit); I mean , that was something Shane would do, right? Try to win her over by bitching about him.

literaturechick: You are most welcome; thank you for reading and sticking with me from the start! I agree that Brett is ultimately a good guy, but love makes people do strange things… And yes, Rick knew that there was something amiss before Michonne even told him.

Okay, fasten your belts, you're in for a rough ride…

Warning: Graphic violence

* * *

_Earlier in the day…_

"Dad?" Asked Carl. "We were pretty stupid, uh? Michonne was right; we should've been smarter."

The teenager let his head hang low before looking back to the opening of his tent where his father sat rubbing his beard. They had both since calmed down somewhat after Michonne had vented her frustrations at them; Rick knowingly let her walk away in order for her to find some composure. He and Carl were now talking it through; Rick would return to his duties later, after he spoke with Michonne.

"Yeah, she's always right."

Was Rick's short answer; he understood what she was saying and would try to be more low-key if it meant more efficient protection for his family. Rick knew Michonne was right, about baiting Gary, he did not want her to be dismayed by him and his actions; she had to know he only behaved that way because of how much he loved her. He already felt bad about not being able to carry his weapon or leave the Settlement; he just could not stand for Michonne to think that he was useless and that he could not protect them.

"Maybe you should go and talk to her. I mean, she was pretty upset. I hope she's not gonna stay angry with us." Carl offered sadly; not wanting to disappoint Michonne in anyway.

"Carl, she's not angry with us, not really, she's just frustrated 'cause she cares. We need to give her a little time, that's all."

Said Rick, hoping that his explanation was accurate and that Michonne only needed some alone time to sort through her emotions.

"Alright, as long as she's okay. She's all 'hormonal', ya know." Offered Carl.

"What do you know about hormonal?" Rick asked, slightly amused by his son's statement; a small grin playing on his features.

"She told me." He started, smiling to himself as he shifted to lay on his side with slight discomfort.

"She said if I heard the two of you arguing, that it was because of her pregnant hormones. But then again, she told me how much of a butt-face you can be sometimes; so it's either hormones or your butt-face."

"Butt-face?" Rick asked, looking incredulous. "Really? Do you two ever have anything _nice_ to say about me behind my back?"

Carl let out a small laugh.

"Hmm, I dunno. Sometimes we have good things to say; when you're not bein' a butt-face."

Both Rick and Carl laughed before the older of the two became serious and continued.

"Okay, I'm gonna try harder, so you'll have better things to say about me. I'll try harder for you and Judy; for Michonne too." Offered Rick.

"Me too." Offered Carl quietly.

"Dad?" Asked the teenager.

"Yeah, son?" Rick answered.

"When you find her, tell her I'm sorry for being a butt-face too."

Rick smiled and nodded; deciding to seek Michonne out so they could discuss what had happened and so that Rick might offer his beloved his sincerest apologies.

* * *

_Presently…_

His heart beat heavily in his chest as the scenery of the Settlement seemed to rush by quickly and became blurred in his peripheral vision. Rick felt the ire rising in his stomach; it rose rapidly as it flashed white hot and caused a harsh throbbing to invade his head. The ringing in his ears was loud and almost completely muted the sound of Michonne's voice calling his name and asking him to slow down his pace; pleading with him to stop.

_I'm gonna fuckin' kill him! I'm gonna fuckin' kill him! _Rick thought over and over again as he fast approached the rations store with Michonne in tow. She was finding it difficult to keep up the pace with him so opted to sprint and stand in front of Rick. He came to a halt and then tried to walk around her. Michonne placed her hands to his chest in an effort to stop him from moving.

"Rick! Listen to me; what are you doin'?" She asked, a little short of breath.

"I'm gonna fuckin' kill him!" Rick spat, looking beyond Michonne to the small store where Brett was still most likely inside of.

Rick swiftly side-stepped Michonne and ran up to the backdoor of the store; he tried the handle, but as always, the door remained locked. He used his fist to rap on the door loudly five times before waiting. There came no answer as Rick banged again.

"Unlock the door." Rick said evenly to Michonne as he began to pace back and forth.

"Rick, I don't think…"She started before he cut her off.

"Unlock the fucking door, please."

Rick said quietly, stern in his expression as he stopped pacing, stood and looked to Michonne. She appeared unimpressed, rolled her eyes then pushed past Rick.

"Fine, have it your way."

Was all Michonne said as she used her key to gain access to the backdoor of the store; she let Rick step inside first then closed the door behind them as she locked it once more. They both looked around the room to see that it was empty. Brett had left, it seemed.

"Now what, Rick? Track him down and kick the shit out of him? Kill him? Why?" She asked sounding annoyed.

Rick ran his hands through his hair in frustration, before tilting his head and looking at Michonne.

"You know why." He answered. "Really, why are you defendin' him? I know he's your friend and all that shit, but why are you so fuckin' pissed at me, when he's runnin' around with privileged information? Shit that can get you thrown out of here. And all of a sudden I'm the bad guy 'cause I care enough to want to stop him?"

"He hasn't said anything." She explained, hoping to talk Rick down. "He hasn't said anything to anyone. He promised he wouldn't, Rick."

"Oh, so because he promised you, ya think that's gonna stop him from opening his mouth?" Rick spat, becoming increasingly angrier at the situation.

"How the fuck does he know, Michonne? Did you fuckin' tell him? Your best little buddy? You share all these secrets, uh?" He asked as he stepped closer to Michonne.

"So now you're blamin' me? Why the fuck would I tell him, Rick? I'm not that fucking stupid!" Michonne retorted, becoming angry, stepping right up to Rick and glaring at him.

Rick took note of how close she was now, how irritated she seemed. He thought it best to try to calm the situation down; Rick inhaled several deep breaths before asking in a more serene manner:

"How does he know, Michonne?"

"He said that he saw me, when it all happened. He must've been following me; I didn't see him." She said, still holding Rick's gaze.

"Why was he followin' you?"

Rick asked, already knowing the answer. He had known for some time now that Brett had developed feelings for Michonne. She called it a crush, but Rick knew what it was. He could see it in Brett's eyes by the way that he looked at Michonne; the way his eyes followed her whenever they were in proximity to each other; Rick knew Brett's feelings ran much deeper than a crush. It was the reason why Rick was so rude to Brett; why he took every opportunity to treat the young man badly. He wanted Brett to know he did not like him. He wanted Brett to remember that Michonne was _his_. Rick did not want to share, Brett would realize that soon enough; and if he did not, then he would be taken care of. Rick was not going to go through this again.

Michonne looked away a moment before offering her answer.

"He…he said he loves me."

Rick lifted his arms and pressed both hands to his temple as he forced his eyes shut. He then looked at Michonne's face. The dread that had consumed her expression just moments before had sent Rick in to a rage; he never wanted to see Michonne afraid again, for any reason. At that moment, she looked scared, he reasoned that it was because she feared what Rick would say and do at hearing that Brett was in love with her. Rick remained quiet as he tried to settle his anger.

"That's how I know he won't say anything; he said he wanted to protect me. He sai…"

"So, it's okay 'cause he wants to protect you? But I'm an asshole when I want to?" Rick asked, ire rising again as any attempt to become calm fell away.

"No, Rick. That's not what I'm sayin'." Michonne answered immediately. "I'm sayin' he has _feelings_ for me, so I don't think he'll tell anyone about what happened. He hasn't so far…"

"Did you fuck him?" Rick asked wearing a straight expression.

Michonne's face dropped: "What?"

"Did you _fuck_ him?" Rick asked again. "You were fuckin' me when we first got here, who else were you with?"

Michonne could barely believe she had heard Rick correctly. She knew he was angry, but to go as far as accusing her of sleeping with another man; that was just hurtful.

"You prick! You total asshole! Of course I didn't; I can't believe you!" Michonne said as she shoved Rick's chest hard and caused him to stumble backwards.

Realizing that he had crossed the line, Rick tried to recover quickly and reached for Michonne's arm as she unlocked the door to get away from him in her own indignation; he offered her an apology.

"Let me go!" Michonne yelled as she almost leaped out of the door with tears of anger rolling down her face with Rick following behind her.

"Wait, Michonne! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" He called after her as she hurriedly turned the corner of the rations store.

Suddenly, Michonne was knocked onto her backside as he collided with someone who was walking as fast has she had been. They both looked stunned as the person went to help her to her feet and told her they were sorry; it was Brett. He continued to hold on to Michonne just as Rick got closer to them.

"Get your hands off her!" Rick called out at the young man.

Brett stepped back slightly; he then noticed Michonne was crying.

"What'd you do to her?" He asked Rick. "You're always upsettin' her!"

"She ain't your concern you little shit!"

Rick proffered as he grabbed Brett by the collar and slammed his slight frame against the wall of the store building. Michonne stepped back and pleaded with Rick to let go of Brett, fearful he would find himself in further trouble with the Council if a fight ensued. Brett took the opportunity to bring his fist into contact with Rick's face. The force caused Rick to stagger backwards. After regaining some composure, Rick landed several blows of his own; he and Brett were in a full scuffle and Rick had the upper hand. Brett's nose seemed to be broken as the blood poured from it.

Several other survivors had heard the commotion and walked over to see what was happening. By now Michonne had seen enough, and tried to get between them as she faced Rick slightly and pushed him back; using her right hand to try to push Brett in the opposite direction. Both men were too strong for her and she became wedged between them briefly. Just then Brett reached for the box cutter that he carried with him as part of his duties. He quickly slid the blade to the end of the small plastic implement and thrust it forward until he felt it make contact with the flesh of its intended target. He withdrew and thrust in rapid succession several more times; making contact each time. One of the onlookers stepped forward and dragged Brett away as he withdrew the weapon from flesh. Brett stood catching his breath and cupping his bloodied nose; the box cutter still in his hand.

Michonne wrapped her arms around Rick's waist and forced him backwards as they both stumbled slightly; she looked between their bodies and noticed blood on Rick's shirt. He placed his hands over the red stain quickly appraising the damage. He then looked at Michonne's clothes, which were also stained with blood.

"Rick…" She said quietly before she trailed off; looking faint and unsteady as her eyes widened.

"No. No!" Rick yelled. "It's not my blood!"

Just then, Michonne slumped forward and fell into his arms as they both slipped to the ground.

"No!" Rick screamed as he held her tightly, placing his hand over her abdomen to slow the bleeding. "Help us! Someone, we need help!"

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry…that was difficult to write; I need a hug now. While I only want them to be happy, it's part of the story that needed to be told.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Firstly, thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. Secondly, I have to say I'm sorry again for upsetting a few of you. I know you've been invested in this story and the characters; it had to unfold this way for my fic to progress in the direction I've planned. I just felt really bad after reading some of the reviews. I don't like to make people feel sad.

Wanted to address a few things: Brett didn't have the weapon on him to necessarily hurt Rick or anyone else; he used it for his work detail so was carrying it when the fight started. Brett's broken nose caused him to be disoriented, thus not knowing where or whom he was stabbing; Rick was feeling angry, jealous, inadequate and insecure which made the situation volatile. I don't think they are necessarily bad guys, it's just that sometimes when emotions and tempers flare people get hurt. In this case, it was our dear Michonne; she was hurt by Rick's harsh words as well as Brett's violence and deserved neither.

Short responses:

KK and MissChocolateoxo: Thanks for complimenting me on my writing style and storytelling; that means a lot to me!

HermioneSnape4eva: Welcome to my world and I'm glad you're loving this fic.

Everyone else: I'm sorry for upsetting you; I'm sorry for making you cry! I actually got a little emotional writing this chapter.

NB there's a time shift between the present time and a scene between Richonne earlier in the week.

Let's get to it...

* * *

_Earlier in the Week…_

_"__You know I'm gonna do my best to make sure everything will be alright?" Rick tenderly asked in hushed tones._

_Michonne smiled and looked to him, feeling completely safe and completely loved. She reached her hand for his that was protectively placed over their growing child. Finally, she answered:_

_"__I know you'll do your best, Rick. You always do."_

xXxXx

_Presently…_

Everything seemed to be spinning out of control as Rick Grimes walked as fast as his legs would allow toward the Settlement's Infirmary carrying Michonne in his arms. She cried out in discomfort every so often; Rick trying his hardest not to cause her any more pain than she was already in. He had found a burst of energy after his fight with Brett; he did not feel his own swollen lip and sore extremities, all he was aware of was her blood and her tears.

Someone had already raced ahead to let Doctor Buckley know that there was an emergency at hand, so when Rick finally walked through the door with Michonne, still bleeding profusely, Infirmary staff were there to meet them and get to work immediately. Rick could scarcely hear their words as he was directed to wait outside while Michonne was examined.

_"__I know you'll do your best, Rick. You always do."_

The words from their conversation a few days earlier rang loudly in Rick's head. He sat on the steps of the building that was used to house medical supplies and doubled as a hospice for the sick and injured. He felt like a failure; in his rage, jealousy and doubt, he had caused harm to befall Michonne and their baby.

Rick looked down at his bloodied hands; they were trembling uncontrollably. The bright red of her spilt life force was a stark contrast to his pale skin. Rick tried to wipe her blood onto his jeans in an effort to clean his hands. It seemed as if his fingers were stained in a cruel and vibrant reminder of how he had let her down; how she was placed in danger because of his inability to keep his temper under control.

"What happened?" Asked an out of breath Sasha as she and Tara sprinted over to where Rick was sitting.

Rick could not bring himself to utter a single word; instead he looked at his two friends with such an expression of melancholy and despair that they did not broach the issue with him further at that time. Tara instead asked one of the other residents who were standing nearby, waiting to be called in to give blood if a transfusion was needed.

"Apparently, there was a fight." The older woman explained quietly, so that Rick would not hear what she was saying.

"Grimes there and young Brett got into it. Started over the boy bein' obsessed with his wife or somethin' like that, from what I heard. Anyways, the boy pulled a knife after he was gettin' beat, tried to stab Grimes, his wife got in the way and she was stabbed instead. "

"Shit!" Exclaimed Sasha, frantically looking at Rick.

"Michonne, is she okay?" Asked Tara wearing a concerned look.

"I really couldn't say. My husband took Brett to the cells and told me to grab the others and rush on over in case we had to give blood. It's a damn shame. She's a nice lady and all; always friendly to me. And they said somethin' about her bein' pregnant too. Damn shame. Hope everythin' works out."

"Yeah, so do we." Offered Sasha before glancing back over at Rick as he sat on the step in a daze.

xXxXx

"Rick?" The young woman asked, patiently waiting for him to respond.

He lifted his head to see Sasha and Tara standing before him again.

"What do you want us to do? Should we tell Carl?" Sasha continued.

Rick remained quiet a moment as he tried to sort through his scattered thoughts.

"No. He's fine. It's fine. We just gotta wait. It's fine. Everything's…fine…"

Came his quiet reply as he rubbed his hand over his mouth; the sting of his swollen lip caused reality to set back in.

"Should we find out what happened with that asshole Brett?" Asked Tara.

Rick suddenly sat up straight and glanced around the yard before standing; his eyes narrow.

"Fuck! Where is he?" Asked Rick as he snapped out of his daze and felt anger rising within the pit of his stomach.

"It's okay, they took him to the cells." Said Sasha calmly. "The Council will deal with him, Rick."

She could see the fury in his eyes and knew that Rick wanted to kill the young man. Sasha was level-headed and knew that Rick needed to focus on Michonne right now.

"Hey, you know you need to be here for her and the baby, right? Let the Council handle him."

Rick nodded as he began pacing.

"I know, I know." He said softly. "I just hope these pricks on the Council do their fuckin' job properly."

"Do you want us to go and find out what's goin' on?" Tara asked once more.

Rick ceased pacing and looked at the two young women before nodding his head.

"Yeah, thanks." Was his short reply.

Both women dipped their heads and hurriedly made their way toward the administration building.

xXxXx

_Earlier in the Week_

"You know I'll do whatever I can to protect you and our baby, right?"

Rick asked as he gently rubbed his thumb over Michonne's bare stomach. The happy couple had just finished making love in their tent; it was the first instance where they were both free to blend declarations of love with their unyielding passion. It was the first moment that she noticed he had removed his wedding ring as a sign of his new commitment to her and the child they would bring into the world.

"Rick, I know you will. Ya don't have to say it." Michonne answered.

"I know, it's just that I feel like I've gotta say it. So you know for sure that my family means everything in the world to me."

He said as rubbed Michonne's abdomen again, as if he could already feel the tiny life that was growing inside of her.

"I already know." She said and offered him a chaste kiss.

It became quiet in the tent as they lay staring at one another. Rick then endeavoured to break the silence.

"Have you thought of any names?" He asked thoughtfully and grinning widely.

"Hmm, nope. Not really. I'm not really that good with names. When I was a kid, I had this pet turtle. You know what his name was?

"What?" Rick asked amusedly.

"Turtle; with a capital T." She answered as they both broke into uproarious laughter.

"Well, I ain't lettin' you call our kid Turtle." Rick teased, unable to wipe the grin from his face.

"What about you? Any ideas for names?" Michonne finally asked, after their chortles died down.

As Michonne waited for Rick's answer, she almost laughed again at how intimate and domestic the situation was. It was really unbelievable that she and Rick were talking about baby names. Feeling safe and secure; getting the opportunity at a second chance at life. Moving forward in an uncertain world with the promise of their commitment to each other as well as to their growing family.

"Nah, haven't thought about it. I ain't good with names either; all of my pets' names sounded like a bunch o' good ol' boys: George, Conway and Hank."

They laughed once again and Michonne could not tell if he was serious.

"So, you named your pets after country music singers?" Michonne giggled.

"Yeah, pretty much." Rick laughed in response. "At least I didn't call 'em Dog with a capital D."

"Shut up!" She replied jokingly and slapped Rick's arm softly before adding. "Seriously though, you haven't thought of any names?"

Rick went quiet a moment, deep in thought, before continuing to speak.

"Didn't name any of my other kids, so I don't think I'll start with this one."

They both let out another small chuckle before silence fell over them once more.

"Boy or girl?" Rick went on to ask after a while.

Michonne felt a slight pang in her chest as she thought of André briefly. She had come to terms with his loss and knew within her heart that this new child was not replacing him, that the new child was part of her life moving forward. Still, it hurt to think of her son even now, in what was a moment of happiness.

"Um, a girl, I think." She said after a moment of quiet reflection and contemplation. "Yeah, definitely a girl."

"Why definitely?" Rick questioned curiously.

"Oh, it's simple, really; so she can help me and Judy gang up on you and Carl! Girls rule, boys drool and all that."

Rick's wide smile eased the small aching in her chest and she could not help but respond to him in kind. She then kissed his forehead gently before proceeding.

"What do you want? Boy or girl?"

Michonne queried, staring into Rick's blue eyes.

"Honestly?" He asked holding her gaze. Michonne nodded for him to continue.

"Honestly." She said.

"Either one is fine by me." Rick started, as he removed his hand from her abdomen and brought it to her face; gently tracing his thumb over her cheek and lips.

"Just give me a baby that looks like you, okay? That's all I want. A baby that looks exactly like you. One that's strong like you. A baby that we both get to hold and love; a baby that we both get to watch grow up."

Upon hearing this, Michonne felt the tears fall from her eyes. Her heart swelled with love and adoration for Rick. He wiped her tears away as he brought his mouth to hers.

"I love you, Rick Grimes." Michonne whispered as tears of joy mixed with sadness ran down her face.

"I love you too." Was his reply as he drew her body closer to his.

xXxXx

_Presently…_

Rick was torn from his thoughts as the door to the Infirmary opened and a young man stepped outside. He stopped at the top of the steps and searched the immediate area until his eyes fell upon a stricken Rick. He offered a kindly glance before speaking to the injured woman's worried partner.

"Grimes? Would you come with me please?"

* * *

A/N: I have to stop there, but rest assured there is more to come.

In the next instalment, we will discover the fate of Michonne and the baby as well as the repercussions of Rick and Brett's fight. Thanks for sticking with me and not sending me hate mail or death threats!


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and the new favourites and follows; I appreciate it all and am glad this story is still being enjoyed.

Now for some responses:

HermioneSnape4Eva: I'm so glad you're loving the drama; just when I think I want to write something a little slower, I get the urge to throw in the drama! Yes, Rick is feeling guilty; but let's hope it doesn't come between he and Michonne.

castlefan83: I hope I'm not letting you down! You may have a point about that Council; maybe they do need to be taken out…LOL but seriously…

Kam: As always, thank you. I hope this chapter gives you some answers.

KyannaLashae: Aww I know; you're too sweet to send hate mail! Now, when it's Richonne, it's always good stuff!

literaturechick: I'm so glad you liked the flashbacks; they were my favourite thing to write because of the tenderness. It made the whole present story so much sadder. This Brett is a troublesome character, so let's see what happens. As always, thank you!

emmexmas: Oh careful now, don't ruin your nails! Lol Seriously, thank you for taking the time to read and review.

Alex311: That's exactly right; he will have to learn the hard way, unfortunately. Thank you for the continued support!

CM-x-SN-x-HP-x-roxmysox: Thanks so much! I'm pleased you're enjoying this fic.

cakebythepound: Aww! Don't cry, just get this chapter out of the way and then try to breathe! I'll try to fix it :) Glad you liked the flashback; it was very easy to write because I think they are both loving parents.

Oh, also, I've written a prologue to this fic to explain how Richonne arrived at the Settlement and to set up some things that I want to expand on further in this story. It's called _Onward from Here_ and (presently) will be three parts that focus on some significant 'adult situations' between our beloved Rick and Michonne. In saying that, you don't have to read it at all until this fic is done (which isn't anytime soon if you were wondering).

Right, let's check out our fave ZA family. This is a short one, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.

* * *

"Listen, I know you're both concerned about what's gonna happen, but right now there ain't much we can tell you."

Said Peter, the man who was in charge of dealing with those residents of the Settlement who did not abide by the set rules. Sasha and Tara looked unimpressed by his response to their question regarding Brett.

"We're still talkin' to witnesses and waitin' to hear about what happens to your friend. But you can be sure we've detained that boy. He hasn't spoken to us yet, but it ain't gonna help him to keep quiet."

"Help him? What usually happens to people who attack someone with a weapon? You just banish 'em and hope they don't come back and try to finish the job?" Asked Tara.

"Look, it's up to the Council to decide what happens and we need to hear both sides of the story…"

"How much more of the story do you need to hear? He stabbed Michonne. He was aiming to stab Rick! It wasn't an accident." Sasha interjected.

"It could have been in self-defence. We all know what Grimes is like." Peter continued.

"I can't believe this fuckery!" Said Tara. "He was trying to kill Rick! Michonne was breaking up the fight. There was no need for him to do what he did!"

"I'm tellin' you both, we just gotta wait until we talk to everyone who was there."

"Well what are we supposed to tell Rick?" Asked an annoyed and flustered Sasha.

"You just tell Grimes that we need to see him."

* * *

"Is she okay?" Asked Rick hoarsely as he walked beside the young man who was sent to fetch him.

Rick's eyes were bloodshot, his breathing laboured and he was sweating profusely. There was a lump in his throat and a pounding in his head. He could not lose her; he could not lose _them._ The fear was wrenching at his heart and his chest felt impossibly tight.

"It's best if the Doc explains everything to you." Was the man's reply as they were met by Doctor Buckley at the door to the Infirmary.

"Grimes, have a seat." Offered the doctor as he pointed to the row of chairs that were set against the wall near the door.

Rick's heart sank while he thought about how he was certain to receive some bad news; otherwise, he reasoned, the doctor would not have asked him to sit.

"How is she?" Asked Rick, choosing to remain standing, although his frame felt heavy and his legs felt weak.

"She's fine…"

"And the baby?" He interrupted.

"Baby's fine, they're both fine." Said Buckley.

Rick blinked back the tears and smiled out of relief; he found himself exhaling loudly.

"Luckily, the blade was not very long and the wounds aren't too deep. She's been stitched up and we've given her some drugs to help with the pain; but she'll have to stay in the Infirmary for a day or two so we can make sure she doesn't get an infection; and to rest up. All of this excitement isn't good, puts a lot of stress on the baby."

Rick nodded, slightly lost for words because of the guilt he was presently feeling.

"Can I see her?" He queried, anxious to speak to Michonne; Buckley grinned a little as he answered:

"Yeah, certainly. Come on through."

* * *

Michonne was lying on her side on one of the cots that was set up for the sick and injured in the Infirmary. Sometimes the room resembled something like a military or battlefield hospice; people crying out in agony from their painful, bloody wounds while others rushed around frantically trying to tend to the patients. Presently, however, the Infirmary was quiet and almost empty, save for a heavily dosed Michonne and two others. The other occupants were injured on the outside of their community while searching for the missing men, Thom and Brandon. Neither one was scratched or bitten; their injuries consisted of several deep cuts and a broken wrist; injuries that were sustained from the roof of a weather-beaten house collapsing on top of them. The world was dangerous both inside and outside of the Settlement; the occupants of the Infirmary, including Michonne, were proof of that.

Rick approached her slowly and hesitantly; he was unsure of it she would still be angry with him. He felt reassured when she offered him a small grin and tried to move to sit.

"Hey. No. Don't try to sit up." He said quietly. "You've gotta take it easy."  
Michonne listened to his advice, and stayed in her position.

Rick sat on the floor next to her after placing a soft kiss to her brow.

"I know I should be pissed off at you right now." She began in a small voice. "But these drugs are amazing. Just you wait 'til they wear off."

Rick chuckled slightly, unsure of whether or not she was serious.

"I'm sorry." He finally said. "I'm so sorry for bein' an asshole…"

"Rick, just save it 'til the painkillers wear off me; I don't wanna hear it until I'm in my right mind. I'm okay. Baby's okay. I just wanna sleep for now. We'll talk 'bout it later."

She said drowsily; it was then that Rick knew he would not be getting away with his less-than-sensible behaviour without a reprimand from Michonne. In his anger and jealousy, he had said appalling things to her; accused her of being unfaithful and then he could have lost her. If the blade had any more length to it; if it had have struck her flesh in a different position or at a different angle, she and the baby could have been gone. Rick's embarrassment had begun to wash over him. He felt a deep sense of shame for saying what he had said; for acting the way that he had. He felt so guilty.

"Alright." He offered quietly. "You get your rest."

Michonne's eyes began to close as the painkillers continued to do their work.

"I love you."

He whispered while pressing his lips to her face once more; Michonne did not answer him.

* * *

Rick's mind was eased ever so slightly now that he knew Michonne and their unborn child would survive; he was angry at himself for letting his emotions get out of control. He was angry at Brett for hurting Michonne. He knew that he had let her down; in his attempt to protect her, he had failed. There would be a price to pay when the Council came knocking, he knew this.

Tara and Sasha were standing outside of the Infirmary when Rick trudged down the steps; both women walked over to meet him.

"How is she?" Asked a concerned looking Sasha.

"She'll be okay; baby'll be okay too. They need to rest. What did they say?"

"Pricks couldn't tell us much." Offered Tara. "They wanna see you as soon as ya can, though. That asshole Brett better not claim self-defence. What're ya gonna do, Rick? You're right in the shit, dude."

Rick looked dismayed as he nodded toward his friends; acknowledging the trouble that he faced for his altercation with Brett while being on probation.

"Thanks for everything; could ya tell Carl what's goin' on, please? Let him know she's sleepin' and that he can see her tomorrow. Can one of you get Judith for me as well? I'm gonna go see what these assholes want from me. Hopefully, I'll see y'all at dinner time."

The women agreed to help Rick, bid him farewell and headed over to inform Carl. Rick rubbed his stinging right eye vigorously before leaving to discover his fate.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so next chapter we will definitely find out what's going to happen to Rick and we'll also check in with Stabby-Pervy Brett; just needed this part out of the way first.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Thanks to those who've read and those who've reviewed!

Responses to the faithful few:

Alex311: Haha your happy dance! That makes me happy! What also makes me happy is that I've received a few alerts saying you've posted new chapters! Yay! I'm gonna them read as soon as I get some time to myself ;)

KyannaLashae: It is relieving that they're okay; those scenes were really hard to write because she's my fave.

literaturechick: You're right in saying Rick is remorseful and doesn't need the added stresses, but you know what the Council is like!

Kam: Good insights; Rick will need to tread carefully. It can't be the best feeling for him to know that Brett knows their secret! Gosh, I love writing the drama of it all.

Okay, let's see what Rick's up to…

* * *

The pounding in Rick's head persisted all through his interview with Peter the law keeper; the tall African-American man was probably no more than five years older than Rick and wore an expression that was just as stern as his.

Rick would occasionally press his hand to his temple in an attempt to dissipate the aching; furrowing his brow as he did so. The stifling heat inside of the Administration Building did little to bring both men comfort. They were both somewhere they would rather not be, talking to someone they would rather not share words with; but, alas, it had to happen.

Rick did not think of the consequences of his actions; he did not think that fighting with Brett would result in any of the dilemmas that he and his family currently faced. He let his emotions, his passion, take over his rational thinking.

"So that's about it, Grimes? That's what happened?" Asked Peter, as he wrote down a few notes to relay back to the Council.

"Yeah." Said Rick slowly. "It happened just how I said it did."

"So you were havin' an argument with your old lady, Brett shows up and attacks you 'cause he's got a thing for her?" The man asked.

"Sure, if ya wanna make it sound that simple. He was goin' on 'bout some shit, like me not bein' good enough for Michonne. He had it set in his mind that he was a better man for her. He threw the first punch, we got into it, he was gettin' his ass beat so he tried to stab me."

Rick offered coolly as he stared at Peter.

"But got her instead?" He asked as Rick swallowed loudly; pushing his rage down into the pit of his stomach.

"Yeah, he stabbed my pregnant wife instead of me. Why, what did _he_ say happened?" Rick finally asked.

"He ain't said anything to us yet. Just sittin' in lock-up starin' at the walls like a dumbass." Said Peter in a matter-of-fact manner.

"What's gonna happen to him?" Queried Rick, wanting to get a straight answer.

"Honestly, man, I don't know. I'm just tryin' to get both your stories down so that the Council can figure it out. It ain't up to me. I don't make the tough decisions anymore."

He explained, taking on a different temperament as if he were warming up to Rick.

"But honestly, if it was my wife layin' up in some hospice 'cause of some little love-struck prick, I don't know if I'd be sittin' up here as calm as you are."

Rick seemed surprised by Peter's change in demeanour and nodded before speaking.

"Yeah, well I don't think my temper's helped the whole situation so far, so I'm just gonna ride this one out; and try not to kill that little love-struck prick myself." He stated with a smirk as both men let out a small chortle.

It became quiet in the room a moment as Peter looked pensively at Rick. He really had not taken the time to get to know Rick Grimes as a person; and Rick did not really assimilate well into the wider populace. Peter listened to the gossip that other residents had spread, the stories they told about how long Rick and his group were wandering around on the outside. Stories about some of the horrors that they had seen and faced. Stories about some of the things that they had done out of the need to survive; but he had never really sat down and had a dialogue with the man before this. His opinion of Rick was slowly changing as he saw before him not an unstable, violent control freak, but a man who only wanted to protect his family in the best way that he could.

"You were a cop before all o' this shit?" Peter asked him, now interested in having a conversation with the man he truly knew very little about.

"Yes sir; Sheriff's Deputy, small County not too far from here." Said Rick, briefly thinking about how long ago his other life really was.

"You were a cop as well, right? I vaguely remember someone mentionin' it when we first got here when they were talkin' about work details."

"APD Special Enforcement." Peter answered proudly, wearing a wide grin as he too thought back to his past.

"No shit?" Replied Rick, thoroughly impressed.

"Ten years in Narcotics. Shit, I thought the world was fucked up back then. But this? Hell, I'll take some fuckin' scumbag slingin' dope over this shit any day. At least I knew what to expect back then."

"I hear ya." Was Rick's response. "Some of the shit we saw out on the road, man; some people just can't come back from it. A lot of the people here are lucky that they came to the Settlement early on. Before we got here, there was always some psycho asshole fuckin' with us; tryin' to kill us and take what we had. It was like bein' in a war zone most of the time."

Peter nodded in acknowledgement.

"I brought my family here early on, so I'm thankful we didn't run into too many others on the outside. We saw some shit. Nearly lost my little girl out there, but we made it somehow. You must be one tough son-of-a-bitch to keep your kids and family safe, Grimes; especially out there."

Rick, out of sadness, let his head drop slightly as he looked away before answering.

"We lost a lotta family along the way. I guess that's why I find it hard to trust people now. Find it hard to let my guard down, ya know what I mean?"

Peter understood what Rick was saying; he could understand why he was so standoffish. His group had gone through a lot while the residents of the Settlement had spent the outbreak and what followed in relative safety.

"Yeah, man; I get it now. The world is fucked no matter how you look at it, and we've all been through the shit; but some of us have had it worse than others."

Rick nodded as he regarded the man seated before him.

"Can I ask you somethin'?" Peter asked.

"Sure." Replied Rick.

"Your daughter,"

"Judith."

"Yeah, little Judith, her mama, she ain't around anymore? What happened?"

Rick sighed loudly and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth; it stung slightly where his lip was split from his fight.

"Same thing that always happens these days when someone ain't around no more; she died." He offered sadly.

"Died in childbirth."

"Sorry to hear that, man." Offered Peter, realizing how difficult the present situation must be for Rick.

"Thanks."

Said Rick quietly, rubbing his hands together as he looked down at them; small traces of Michonne's blood speckled his skin. Peter's gaze followed his own and he too noticed the red tinges.

"Michonne, right? She'll be fine. She's a tough one." He offered reassuringly, genuinely feeling bad for Rick and his family.

Rick looked up at Peter and could not help but smile at his assessment.

"Yes sir, she is. Stubborn as shit as well. Pretty sure she wanted to kick my ass the first time we met, and a few times afterwards; Hell, even earlier today. I reckon she might've taken me out too." Said Rick as they both laughed.

"How'd y'all end up together? I mean, I don't know you, but you seem like an unlikely pair."

Rick chortled as he thought about Michonne; about how they were both stubborn.

"Trust me, everyone who knows us says we're exactly alike."

"I dunno 'bout that, Grimes; she's much better lookin' than you." Joked Peter causing Rick to chuckle.

"You got that right! She's been with our group for the longest time when we had a safe camp; then she was with me and my boy out on the road when our group was split up. She's loyal and always puts the kids first, so I guess that's how we're alike. One difference is she makes my boy laugh when I can't." Said Rick.

"I thought I'd never hear him laugh again after we lost his mother; then Michonne comes along and my kid's smilin' and laughin' again. Guess we just grew closer from there."

"That's nice, Grimes. Too much shit goin' on in the world, glad you could find some happiness; it's rare these days."

Rick smiled slightly and looked at Peter as he realized he was enjoying just being able to sit down and talk to someone different; even though he knew Peter still had a job to do.

"You're not wrong there. Good things are so rare, that's why I'd do anything to protect my kids and Michonne. I'd walk through fire for her and I wouldn't even blink."

Just then, one of the other law keepers entered the room and looked from Rick to Peter.

"Hey, man. What's goin' on?" Asked Peter as the younger man indicated for him to step outside a moment.

Rick sat quietly waiting for the men to return and for the interview to be finished; he figured that it had since he and Peter had deviated from the initial round of questioning to something more amicable. The door creaked open as a sombre looking Peter stepped in.

"Rick, I don't want you to be alarmed or anything, but the Council wants to see your son."

* * *

A/N: Dun, dun, dun! Hehehehe

How did you like Rick's chat with Peter? See, there are some decent people living in the Settlement; besides, Rick's gonna need friends when he slaughters the Council and takes over the community! Ha! I'm kidding, of course! Or am I?

Thanks for reading…


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Oh my, the demand for updates on this one has been astounding hehe thank you all for keeping me on track! Seriously, your conjecture and predictions for what might happen are wonderful! I love hearing the theories and love it even more when some of you actually guess a direction I was thinking of.

Some responses for you all:

castlefan83: That note was totally for you! Haha I know you're down for the slaughter! Hmm, Rick's breaking point? Now there's a good idea…

Alex311: Glad you like Peter. I wanted him to be a character that initially had little to do with Rick but listened to the gossip, only to discover they were alike in a lot of ways. Former police, dedicated fathers etc. and the way that the story is going; Rick needs friends who are respected and trusted in the Settlement. Oh and I hope you and your baby are well!

CodeName-M.e: Thank you very much! Yes, the Council really is something else; I do intend to examine their inner workings in future chapters. Now, my little mate Carl; I seriously laughed when I read your advice that he act 'dumb'! Lol You're exactly right though.

Here4Funsies: Hahaha I knew you'd call me something like a tease! Oh and he's no competition for FineAssRick! Lol Just wish Rick and his fine ass could realise that…but the jealousy is sorta kinda cute.

KyannaLashae: LOL :) I've never been called sneaky before! *still avoids confirming an impending slaughter*

Kam: Oh my goodness, you are right; if stuff and things went down right now, the group would be weakened…

KK: Firstly, you're the only person to mention that Rick called Michonne his wife! 10 points for you! Aww, I thought I'd throw it in there and I'm glad it made you go all soft hehehe Also, I wanted it to seem like Peter was gonna be an ass-hat to begin with, but as he and Rick got to talking, we can see that he's okay. And the idea about the concealer is actually a really good one (why didn't I think of that?! LOL).

literaturechick: Brett is in a really weird mental state right now; his friend died; he almost died; he hates Rick; he loves Michonne; Michonne loves Rick; Rick upsets Michonne; he feels he's better than Rick; he keeps Michonne's secrets; Rick just makes things worse; he tried to hurt Rick; Michonne is hurt instead! The lad could go either way; he really is unstable at this point…

Warning: Mature content and descriptions of violence.

* * *

Rick stood from his seat and glared at Peter.

"What're you talkin' about they wanna see my son?" He asked incredulously.

"Please, Rick, don't make this any worse than it already is. Apparently Brett's started talkin' and they wanna ask your kid some questions."

"Why? Carl wasn't there when we had the fight." Said Rick as he felt the anger bubbling inside him once more.

"They said it's about another matter." Offered Peter quietly, trying to get Rick to calm down. "Somethin' to do with those boys disappearin'."

Suddenly Rick's heart felt like it was going to fall from his chest;_ he told them, _thought Rick, _he fuckin' told them._

"I told 'em they're not to go get him without you bein' there, Grimes. So how about you cool it a little and we'll head on over and get your boy?"

Said Peter, doing the best he could to get Rick to think rationally. Rick began to pace backwards and forwards as his mind was racing.

"Come on, man. What would Michonne do? What would she want you to do?"

Tried Peter; hoping that the mention of Michonne would help Rick to abate the anger that was building up inside of him. Firstly Rick thought if it was Michonne in his situation right now, she would do whatever she could to protect Carl; she _had_ done whatever she could to protect him. Rick also knew she would not want him to let his rage make matters worse. He stopped pacing and looked to Peter.

"I get to be with him when they talk to him?" Asked Rick; his throat feeling dry and harsh as he spoke.

Peter shrugged: "I don't know. That's depending on if he can offer new information, or corroborate what we already have. He ain't under arrest, Rick. We just need to talk to him is all."

Rick still looked apprehensive before Peter added.

"Ya know some things don't change; well, at least for me they don't. You don't mess with another cop's family. That's true now too, for me. I'll make sure you're son's treated properly, you have my word."

Rick glanced at the man before him and could see the sincerity in his eyes. There really was not much else Rick could do; he would take Carl and find out why the Council needed to see him. If Brett had given Michonne's secret away, if the Council wanted to hurt her, then it was settled in Rick's mind; he would have to kill them all. He would kill every last one of them if they hurt his family. Michonne could stay mad at him for giving in to his anger and he would live with it and spend the rest of his days making it up to her; but either way, Brett and anyone else who tried injure them did not get to live.

"Well, alright then," said Rick, "let's go see what they want."

* * *

Rick and Peter approached Carl's tent as the sun was beginning to drop lower in the afternoon sky. Rick undid the zip and squatted down near the opening while Peter stood back and let the father and son have a private moment. Carl's eyes were red and it was obvious he had been crying; he looked at his father so dejectedly that it caused a sharp pang in Rick's chest.

"She's okay. Baby's okay." Rick offered soothingly. "They just need some time to heal and rest. You alright?"

The teenager nodded as he shifted to a sitting position.

"Brett did this to her?" Asked Carl as a steely gaze came over him.

"Yeah." Was Rick's short answer.

"What happened, Dad? I thought he was her friend. What happened?" Carl queried, looking confused.

Rick cleared his throat as he readied himself to tell his son how it had all come about.

"Michonne and I had another stupid argument. Brett got in my face about it and we ended up in a fight. He was aimin' to stab me and she got in the way."

Carl looked almost disbelievingly at his father; Rick could tell the boy was blaming him for what happened, but he remained quiet. Carl shook his head and sighed loudly.

"As long as Michonne and the baby are okay. That's all that matters." He offered, sounding mature beyond his years, but fighting to hold his emotions in check.

Carl really wanted to scream at his father: _fuck you, Rick! Fuck you! This is your fault!_ He wanted to strike his father and he wanted to take his gun, hold it against Brett's head and unload his clip; but he knew this would upset Michonne and put them all in danger again. So Carl swallowed the rage and pushed it deep down inside himself for another day.

"Carl, we gotta go." Said Rick as he stood and waited for his son.

* * *

"Rick?" Said Peter as he stepped out from where the Council were waiting to receive Carl. "You can bring him on in now."

Father and son stood quietly and entered the room. It was much like the last time Rick had been before the Council. The members' gazes all fell on Carl as they examined his appearance.

"Why is my son here?" Asked Rick, as John looked to him disapprovingly.

"If I were you, Grimes, I'd be keepin' my mouth shut. We ask the question 'round here."

John said, obviously irritated. Rick swallowed hard and used all of his will power not to pick up the steel chair, leap across the table and cave John's skull in with it. The older man looked back to Carl and said:

"Son, I'm gonna need you to remove that hat o' yours and step a lil' closer to us."

Carl looked at his father; Rick nodded to him as he assessed the room, looking for objects to use as weapons and for a way out.

The Council members studied the bruises on Carl face and instructed him to lift his shirt to expose the bruising to his ribcage. A few of them shared whispers while John just sat there with a blank expression on his face.

"That's all we needed." Said Melanie as she gestured for Carl to put his hat back on his head.

John abruptly stood and forced his chair backwards hard so that it crashed noisily into a shelf that was behind him. He whispered something to Gary and left the room, slamming the door behind himself.

"Is someone gonna tell me what the fuck is goin' on?" Asked Rick with disdain in his voice.

Gary was the one to speak up.

"Well, your buddy Brett finally opened up and told us what happened the other night."

Rick felt his body become tense while he narrowed his eyes at Gary.

"The other night? What happened the other night? I thought we were here to talk about that asshole stabbin' my pregnant wife?"

Asked Rick, pretending to not know anything about the disappearance of Thom and Brandon. Rick was also shrewd enough to take note that the sentry at the door had followed John, so there were two less people he needed to take out if this meeting turned bad. Sara would not be a problem, and Melanie would be easy to subdue, he thought. Just then Melanie chose to speak up and explain what had happened.

* * *

_Earlier in the day…_

Brett searched the small equipment cage that was functioning as a cell; he was looking for something he could use to take his own life with. The guilt of what he had done weighed heavily upon him, mixed with the anguish of his heartbreak. If Michonne survived, she would never love him as he loved her, not after what he had done; Brett finally resigned himself to the fact that there remained no hope for them. He had always despised Rick Grimes because he was with her and she was with him. Rick must have known of Brett's feelings, otherwise he would not have treated him so badly, he reasoned. All of that did not matter now; no. Michonne would never love him like she loved Rick. All he wanted was for her to be safe and happy; and if that was what Rick could offer her, he would accept it, but not before doing one last thing. Brett rubbed his eyes and wiped away the tears as he called out for the guard.

* * *

"Grimes, do you know how your son got his bruises?" Asked Melanie, but she did not wait for him to answer. "Brett told us just before about an incident that happened the other night."

Rick listened carefully as his heart began to beat quicker.

"He said he witnessed Thom and Brandon assaultin' your boy Carl."

Rick went to speak but the woman continued to explain.

"Your wife happened to come across them and they tried to assault her too, so Brett informed us. He then proceeded to intervene and ended up using the same blade he accidently stabbed Michonne with to stab those two boys. He told us that your wife and son were pretty shaken up and that he took care of disposing of the bodies. He explained that he's in love with her, which is why he killed Thom and Brandon. He then went on to explain that his feelings also caused the fight with you, Rick."

"I gotta ask, is that how it happened, boy?" Queried Gary.

Everyone looked to the teenager who then looked to his father. This could have been a trick, Carl thought, a way for them to get him to implicate himself and Michonne. He then thought that they did not operate that way; no, the Council liked to ask questions and make people feel uncomfortable, but they were usually straight shooters, so to speak. Carl nodded his head slightly before answering:

"Yes, ma'am. It happened how he said it did." Was Carl's reply.

"But you're certain you knew nothin' about it?" Gary said to Rick. "What did you think happened to your son, Grimes?"

"He said he got into a fight with some other boy over a girl." Said Rick, lying through his teeth. "I told him to lay low until things died down a bit."

"I just don't get how…" Started Gary before Melanie cut him off.

"Look, Brett has admitted to killin' Thom and Brandon; Carl's injuries back up his confession. End of story. Let's just wrap this up, Gary. We've all had a long ass day; we'll deal with Brett in the morning."

* * *

John, now alone, walked hurriedly toward the building where Brett was being kept; seeing Carl's injuries had corroborated Brett's story and John knew that his son Thom was dead. The guard at the door unlocked it as the older man approached with a cold look in his eyes and his revolver in his hand. John stepped through the door and made his way over to the cell where Brett was locked away with his gun pointed in the direction of the young man; he slowly let his arm fall back to his side as he took in the scene before him.

Brett was kneeling half naked on the floor with one end of his shirt tied to the cage and the other end fixed tightly around his neck; he had leaned forward until he had effectively asphyxiated himself using his own weight. His usually tanned skin had lost its color and his arms dangled freely. John did not blink as he unlocked the cage and stepped inside. He lifted his gun and placed it at the dead man's temple and pulled the trigger before spitting on the ground and walking back out of the room.

John informed the guard on sentry duty that Brett had taken his own life before turning to leave in the direction of the Infirmary. He stopped just as he reached the front step, coming to his senses; it was too obvious if both Brett and Michonne were found dead on the same day after Brett had made his confession. No, she would pay for her silence and so would the teenager, thought John; just not today. He would bide his time, and after everyone had forgotten about their involvement in his son's death, then he would take his revenge; he did not care how long it took, but he would have a plan already set in motion for their demise. If Rick Grimes got in his way, he would just have to kill him too.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Hi everybody! It's been a little while. The last chapter was pretty intense, yeah? Thanks for the reviews! I'm pleased a few of you mentioned feeling sorry for Brett; I always felt sorry him, even liked him, and I wanted him to be redeemed before I killed him off. I'm glad the scene of a dead Brett came across as sad, because that's what I was aiming for.

Let's talk about Carl: don't worry about my little mate. He was just angry at his father; he's worried about Michonne and he has a penchant for blaming Rick, but it's not going to come between them.

Now Rick: Good old Rick Grimes, eh? Hehehe I think Rick has learned to compartmentalise really effectively in the ZA (he's gotten better at it on the show as well). He will quite easily think about smashing in someone's head with a chair and not let it cause him any mental or emotional stress because he thinks it has to be done. It's like he's in a war zone and doesn't entirely feel safe, even though they are in a purportedly safe place. I wanted to show him thinking strategically about how he could get out of the room with the Council because that's how a soldier would assess a dangerous situation. Make no mistake, when it comes to Rick, they really have no idea who they are messing with!

Okay, this is a filler because I miss Richonne and they need to make up before I can move on with this story!

* * *

Michonne felt the sharp twinge in her abdomen as she tried to move; her pain medication slowly wearing off. She found that she was fine if she limited her movements. She had spent two days in the Infirmary and was making a fast recovery; her wounds had not become infected and she was given the all clear.

Carl waited eagerly outside of the main quarters of the hospice for her; he felt a great sense of relief knowing that she was well enough to be discharged. Michonne stepped out of the door to find a smiling Carl Grimes leaning against the wall.

"Hey you."

She said happily as he approached and offered his shoulder for her to put her weight on; he too moved with difficulty from his own injuries.

"Hey." Was Carl's response.

"Where's your dad?"

Michonne asked, expecting Rick to be the one to greet her. She had hoped that they could get some time alone to talk about everything that had happened. They had a few issues that needed sorting through and she thought the stroll back to their tent would be right time to do it.

"He's helpin' to make some parts of the fence stronger with Daryl. I'm not too sure how much longer they're gonna be. They'll have to come and eat soon anyways." Said Carl.

Michonne shrugged; while she would have preferred that Rick be there to meet her, she understood his duty and the need he felt to protect people.

They slowly made their way out into the twilight and Carl helped Michonne down the steps before they began to amble in the direction of their living area.

"Oh well, looks like it's just me and my favourite guy for a while then." Said a smiling Michonne; Carl looked at her and grinned as they walked along arm-in-arm.

* * *

The warm light from the kerosene and solar camping lanterns provided just enough light for Michonne to see the smiling faces of her friends and family. The group sat around the picnic tables eating and talking softly; Carl sat beside Michonne while Tyreese entertained Judith.

She was so pleased and thankful that she could once again share a meal and conversation with the people she cared about, although she stayed quiet and did not exchange many words with those around her; Carl noticed, but understood she had been through a lot in the past few days so he did not try to engage with her more than was necessary. He kept the banter to a minimum and tried to wait on her as much as he could, given his own discomfort; either way, Michonne appreciated his efforts.

The truth was that Michonne was sad. Despite all of Brett's faults and deplorable actions, he was still her friend; someone she had cared about. On one hand she was angry at him for trying to hurt Rick in the way that he had intended and for accidently putting their unborn child in danger; but then she was thankful that, in his sacrifice, he had made it so that any suspicions were deflected from her and Carl. And finally, she felt sad because he was dead. She felt sad because she did not want to lose any more friends. She felt that way because, in spite of appearances and reputation, Michonne was a caring and emotional person.

Daryl returned to the group's common area before Rick had; he grabbed a handful of food and made his way over to where Michonne and Carl were sitting. He took up a spot opposite Michonne and studied her a moment before beginning to speak.

"Good to see you up and about." Daryl offered with a tiny grin.

Michonne returned his smile and nodded.

"Just glad to be back with you all." She replied quietly.

While Daryl Dixon was not the type of person to actively seek out conversations, he was happy that his friend was, at the very least, willing and capable of engaging in small talk; most people who had been through the sort of ordeal that Michonne had would not be so forthcoming, he reasoned. It took a lot for her to open up to others, and Daryl was not going to force the issue and make Michonne feel in any way obligated to speak about what she had recently experienced.

Daryl had already listen to Rick's fears and concerns and was ready to lend an ear to Michonne as well; when he realized that she was not feeling as chatty as her other half, he silently, but not at all selfishly, felt relief. It was difficult to be the emotional support for friends in these troubled times; somehow, he knew Michonne did not want to burden others. She was, after all, a very private person.

"Rick's just washin' up." Said Daryl, answering Michonne's unspoken query. "He'll be along shortly."

She smiled and regarded Daryl, thankful that they had the type of friendship that did not warrant too much dialogue; he knew she was concerned, and he tried his best to appease her worries.

Carl offered to split half of his fruit with Daryl and they all fell into a comfortable silence shortly thereafter.

* * *

Rick Grimes, after a brief while, made his way to where his group was gathered; the conversations were still flowing and the atmosphere was surprisingly easy-going. Rick first sought to find where his children were; when he saw that Tyreese was lulling Judith into sleep and Carl was with Daryl and Michonne, he felt relieved. It did not matter how safe you thought you were, Rick knew that being protective of your family was of the utmost importance. Finally, his gaze fell upon Michonne; she seemed comfortable, he thought, as he approached her in silence. When Daryl noticed Rick, he offered a slight nod and vacated his seat adjacent to Michonne; Rick took up the seat and glanced at his family. Michonne looked at him and grinned; it was a small gesture, but it showed Rick she was willing to talk.

"Hey. How're you feelin'?" he asked in a genuinely concerned manner.

"I'm okay." Was her reply. "Just glad to be out of that boring, stuffy room."

Rick smiled a little and looked down at the table.

"Sorry I wasn't there to meet ya; had to fortify part of the fence; seems like it's gettin' more weathered as the days go by." He explained; feeling bad about being absent at her homecoming.

"It's fine; I understand." Was all she said before falling silent once more.

Carl looked at his father, then back to Michonne; he felt as if he was intruding on a private moment between the two people he cared for.

"Dad, I'm gonna take Judith to bed." The teenager said as he stood and turned in the direction of where Ty was pacing with his sister.

"Alright." Said Rick. "Bring her here so I can say goodnight."

Carl went and got Judith from Tyreese before bringing her back to Rick; he handed the small child over to their father and waited while Rick peppered her chubby face with kisses.

"Goodnight my beautiful girl." Said Rick as he passed his daughter back to her older brother.

Carl then took Judith to Michonne; the little girl leaned over to the woman as they both shared a loving embrace. Michonne kissed Judith's forehead and ran her hand over her hair. Rick and Carl both smiled at the exchange before the teenager took his baby sister to his tent.

* * *

"That's my boy." Michonne said quietly as she made her way into their tent; Rick did not hear her clearly.

"Sorry? What was that?" He asked.

"Oh it's just that Carl said he was gonna round up every spare pillow he could find, and he really did it."

She offered amusedly when she saw how her sleeping area was now adorned with many different pillows and cushions; one of which belonged to Rick, who chuckled when he noticed.

"Yeah, he wanted to give you all of his, but he ain't in the best shape either; so I said you could have mine. He was pleased with that." Said Rick.

They both smiled and got ready for bed. Rick helped Michonne down into a reclined position inside of their tent; he placed a bottle of water near enough to her so that she could reach it with ease. Their camping lantern lit the area and illuminated Rick's features as Michonne looked on. He seemed to be focussed on making sure she had everything she needed in order to be comfortable during the night. Busying himself meant that Rick was delaying the inevitable conversation that they both needed to have. Michonne decided it would be best if she spoke up first; she watched Rick remove his boots and shirt before she went to say something. Suddenly, Rick interjected before she could speak.

"I know we both hated each other, but I'm sorry about your friend." He said sincerely.

Michonne was somewhat shocked at his statement; just when she though Rick Grimes could not surprise her any more than he already had, he went and said something like that. It proved just how in tune they were with one another; he realized that, all else aside, she would be suffering the loss of her friend.

"Thank you." Michonne replied softly as Rick shifted to his side and took in her appearance.

"I didn't want any of this to happen and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I let things get out of hand with my temper and I really am sorry for accusing you of…ya know, sleeping around." Rick said in an ashamed manner.

"Why'd you say that, Rick? It was hurtful and that's not like you at all. You sounded like my damned mother." Michonne said sounding a little deflated; averting her gaze.

"I know and I feel like shit for it. I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't know why I said it. Probably 'cause I'm a stupid fuckin' asshole, that's why. I'm a jealous fuckin' asshole." He said quietly, as they both lay facing each other.

"I shouldn't take my insecurities out on you. I was way outta line for talkin' to you like that, Michonne. I'm sorry and it won't happen again."

"You know what it took for me to be with you, Rick; you don't ever have to doubt my loyalty." She offered quickly.

"I know, I just let my anger and frustration get the best of me. You're the most loyal person I know, and I love you for it. And I realize how hard it was for you to be with me in the first place, so I dunno why I'd even think you'd be with someone else. Do you forgive me?" He asked pleadingly.

"Of course I forgive you, Rick. Just don't be an asshole in the future." Michonne offered.

"Thank you, and yes. You have my word; no more bein' an asshole." He said solemnly.

They both went quiet for a moment as the mood between them became lighter.

"Anyways, I'd never be with anyone else after you. How could I? You've ruined me for other men."

"How's that?" He asked curiously.

"Well, no one else is ever gonna be good enough for me and that's that. You're the best man I know, Rick."

He smiled at what she had said.

"And you're the best woman I know; you're it for me."

He said with such candor that it made Michonne choke up a little; she knew he had not meant to hurt her and that he was trying to protect her. He was a passionate man, and sometimes that passion led his emotions to an extreme place. All things aside, Michonne was not angry at Rick, she just needed to say what was in her heart and on her mind; she also needed him to do the same.

"And to think I didn't like you at all when we first met." She added thoughtfully.

"Really? Not at all? Well, yeah; I guess I could see why." He offered as he thought back to their first encounter at the prison.

Michonne shook her head.

"No, not at all. You were pretty much an asshole then too." She said jokingly at first before becoming serious. "But I know why."

Silence pervaded as they both looked into each other's eyes. Rick then spoke.

"I didn't like you much either." He admitted.

"Now that's an understatement if ever I heard one! Pretty sure you hated my guts." She laughed.

"No, I didn't hate you." He replied quickly. "Honestly, I was kickin' myself all the time for being such a prick to you. I was tryin' to keep my head on straight, and I dunno, you just came along and twisted everything up again."

"How?" She asked, now curious as to what he was saying.

"I dunno; when I saw you standin' near those walkers at the fence, I thought you weren't even real. Then I thought you were dangerous…then crazy; and I didn't wanna trust you, but I couldn't help it. It's like every time I'd worked up to tellin' you that ya had to leave, I just couldn't do it. There really was somethin' else about you…"

"Admit it." She interrupted. "You got used to checkin' out my ass."

"Yeah that's true too." Rick chuckled slightly before continuing.

"You get under my skin, Michonne. I thought I'd have to walk the rest of this life alone, I _did _walk alone, for a long time, even when I was with Lori. Then you came along and everything changed. In this shit storm, you made everything better."

Michonne smiled now.

"So did you. You make it ten times as scary because I love you so much and don't want anything to happen to you or the kids, but it's so much better. Just when I thought I was happy to be alone, along you come wearing me down with your charms."

"I'm just happy you forgive me for how shitty I've been actin' lately." He offered, not wanting to appear too emotional after what Michonne had just said.

"We're on borrowed time, Rick. Just gotta love as hard as we can, forgive each other's mistakes and get on with it."

Rick liked how open and honest she was being with him now; maybe it was the scare they had recently suffered, maybe it was because of their arguments and misunderstandings. Maybe Michonne had just _changed_. Whatever it was, he was glad they could speak to each other about their worries, joys and fears; about their past, present and future. Rick moved towards her slowly and cautiously; smiling slightly as he became lost in the depths of her dark brown eyes. She returned his smile with a small one of her own and ran her hand over his face. Rick felt his worry and guilt fade away under the softness of Michonne's lips.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: There's been a jump in time from the previous update; three months have just about passed and Rick is almost off of his probation! Michonne's baby bump is showing and everyone is safe…for now! This chapter is full of Grimes family moments and Rick and Michonne teasing Carl. My mate gave me the idea of Carl making friends his own age. This instalment is a small respite from the intensity of the last few chapters before our faves have to face more challenges! John is still plotting his revenge, but in the meantime, here's some Grimes family goodness. Enjoy!

* * *

"Finally! A real roof over our heads again. This is so cool!"

Carl said excitedly as he, Rick and Michonne stood looking around the classroom; Judith stood next to Michonne and held her hand. The classroom was now theirs to move in to; an elderly resident who had been living there, Mrs Taylor, had recently passed away at the Infirmary, and her living space was now vacant. Unlike other residents, Mrs Taylor was allowed to live on her own in the room because of her frailty and seniority; others had to double-up if they did not have a family and then there was the likes of Rick's group who camped outside.

Peter, the senior law keeper, and now a good friend to Rick, had organized for the Grimes family to move into the school building because it would be more comfortable and safer for Michonne during her pregnancy.

"Yes it is." Said a smiling Rick. "Remind me to thank Peter again later at dinner."

The room did not look much like a classroom anymore; most of the student desks were removed, there was a cot placed in a corner and the bookshelves were used as room partitions. Several desks were pushed together to form a larger table and there were chairs placed neatly around it; there was a pile of books in another corner and a world map pinned to a corkboard. Mrs Taylor's belongings had been removed, cleaned and handed over to the rations store; Rick and his family had brought their own things with them and were informed that they could get a number of tumbling mats from the gym to sleep on.

"Oh don't worry, I'm gonna give Mr Turner the biggest hug when I see him!" Carl exclaimed.

Michonne took a seat on the cot, placed Judith on her lap and smiled at the teenager before she would begin her teasing.

"Really? I thought you'd want to give his daughter the biggest hug since you talk about her all the time."

Carl gave Michonne an odd look as he scrunched up his face and tried to hide a small grin.

"What? Who, Jahnee? I don't talk about her all the time. I only said she was cool and that she liked Dark Horse better than DC _or_ Marvel."

Rick rolled his eyes at their talk of comic books again but smiled anyway.

"And that she was better at basketball than most of the guys and that you two won fifteen candy bars the other day playin' two-on-two."

Said Michonne, thinking of how she liked Carl hanging out with other teenagers instead of following her, his father and Daryl around. She really enjoyed hearing about the basketball challenges that happened every afternoon at the courts. She especially liked when Carl and Jahnee teamed up because from their winnings, Carl always gave Michonne half of what he had; Michonne then shared what she had with Judith.

"Oh and that she sat Anwar on his ass when she charged him; and made Toby's nose bleed when he tried to cop a feel."

Added Rick as he thought about how nice it was to see Carl making friends and joining in with the fun activities that were happening. After the incident with Brett, Rick and Peter began to spend time together seeing as they had a lot in common; Peter inevitably invited Rick and his family to have dinner with his family at their quarters. While Rick's group knew that there were gas ovens and stoves in the home economics room, they had never used them to prepare their food; but Peter's wife Valarie did and their meal was prepared quickly and was a welcome change to what they usually ate.

When Peter had spoken of his family, he always called his daughter his little girl, so Rick assumed she was a small child like Judith; before they arrived, he even told Carl to take the kids away to play while the grownups spoke after dinner. To his surprise, and Carl's surprise too, Peter's 'little girl' was a tall, curly-headed teenaged girl, not much older than Carl. Peter had told Carl that the other teens participated in activities to keep them entertained and that Jahnee could show him around introduce him if he liked.

Carl was not the type of child that played well with others; he had been around adults so much in the past few years that he sometimes did not know how to relate to other teenagers. When he agreed that he would like to meet the others and participate in activities, Michonne thought he was just being polite; she did not think he would really want to go. Rick, however, knew that there were any number of things a teenaged boy would like to try if there was a pretty girl involved. Presently, Rick and Michonne rarely saw their son in the afternoons anymore because he was off having fun for the first time in a long time.

"You guys know I'm only talking about basketball, right?" Carl said in his lame attempt at defending himself. "We play every day, so of course I'm gonna talk about it; and Jahnee plays too so of course I'm gonna talk about the cool stuff she does."

"Ah, okay." Said Michonne dubiously. "So how come when you team up with Manny or Anwar or Shelly you don't talk about what they did that was cool?"

Carl shook his head.

"Because when I team up with them, we don't win as much." He retorted.

"So it's about winnin', then? Not about how cute she is?" Asked Michonne as Carl's face went red.

"Son, be careful tryin' to date a law man's daughter; they are licenced to carry weapons." Rick added jokingly.

"Oh my god, Dad! We all carry weapons and you guys are way off. I'm not tryin' anything."

"Why was she wearing your hat yesterday when she came by the store?" Asked Michonne, having way too much fun making Carl squirm.

"Because she borrowed it…"

"And she looked cute in it?" Michonne teased.

"Because it was hot yesterday…"

"And because the other boys would notice and know to back off?" She continued.

"Gosh! We're just friends and she's really cool…"

"And pretty." Added Michonne.

"And likes _Serenity_ comics." Said Rick.

"Woah, how would you even know that?" Michonne asked Rick in a surprised manner considering as he knew nothing about comic books.

"Well it's 'cause I've heard lover boy over there talk about it a hundred times."

Both of the adults laughed and Carl rolled his eyes annoyed at their teasing.

"You guys are jerks. I'm goin' to get the mats from the gym. Rick, are you comin'?"

Said Carl, referring to his father by his first name because of his annoyance; Rick and Michonne laughed again.

"Aw, don't be like that, Romeo; I'm comin'."

* * *

Peter and his family stayed in one of the blocks of classrooms that were attached to the administration building, albeit toward the back of the structure. The rooms were slightly smaller than the ones that were in different blocks around the Settlement; although these rooms had extra space on account of the adjoining offices. Michonne thought it still felt somewhat odd to be invited to dinner with friends in the world they had inherited; yet it was nice all the same.

She liked Peter and Valarie; they were decent people who had been treating Michonne and her family well since they had gotten to know one another. It was actually refreshing to be able to spend some time with others who had a family and knew of the added challenges one was faced with having children in this world. Valarie had also given Michonne some lose-fitting dresses to accommodate her changing physique, for which she was very thankful.

Rick and Michonne sat at the table after they had eaten their meal and spoke with their friends while Carl and Jahnee sat on the sofa and Judith played on the floor. Carl looked at one of the walls and noticed that they had family photos pinned to one of the corkboards; the photographs covered the entire board and Carl felt a little regretful that he had lost the photograph of himself with his mother and father somewhere along the way.

Jahnee noticed her friend had gone quiet a moment; her gaze followed his and fell on the board.

"What do you see?" She asked Carl, and he snapped out of his sad thoughts.

"Uh? Oh, it's nothin'. I was just lookin' at your family photos. When you guys had to leave Atlanta, did your mom pack 'em?"

"Yeah." The girl started. "I was so scared and my dad was yellin' at my mom to pack clothes and stuff that we needed and she _still_ wanted to grab a photo album. It was crazy."

"My mom did the same thing." He said, thinking back to the beginning when he was still so small and afraid.

"But then we lost them; and then my mom died." He added, his blue eyes downcast as he grew quiet once more.

Jahnee nodded knowingly and offered him an encouraging pat to his shoulder.

"There was this café in my hometown that had pictures of people who went there, ya know, real small town thing to do. Anyways, there was a picture of me and my mom and dad in there, so my dad let me go on a run with Michonne and I went to get it. We went in and the place was overrun; I got the photo but then I dropped it when we had to haul ass 'cause of the walkers. It was dangerous and Michonne didn't even know me or my dad then, we weren't even friends then; but she went back in and got it for me. She didn't have to, she could've called me a dumb kid and dragged me away. But she went back in and got it and that's when I knew she was one of us."

The teenagers looked over to Michonne and smiled.

"I just wanted Judith to know what mom looked like, you know." Carl added.

"I'd love to see a picture of your mom." Jahnee said sincerely to Carl. "I bet she's really pretty. I bet you look like her."

"We lost that one too." Carl said sadly and glanced down to the floor; his hair falling over his face slightly.

They fell quiet as Judith pulled at Carl's shoelaces. Suddenly, Jahnee stood from where they were sitting and walked over to the corkboard. She removed something then went back and sat near Carl, somewhat closer than before.

"Here." She said as she passed him a photograph of herself. Carl held it in both hands and smiled as he stared at it. He would never admit it to Michonne or his father, but he really did think she was cute.

"It's a little old and I look a bit different and I know it's not as special as the picture of your mom, but it's yours if you want it. This world sucks, but we can always start over. You've got a proper roof over your heads now, you have your own space, so if you want a picture to hang up and make it feel a little more like a home, then it's all yours." Jahnee said with a sweet smile.

Carl looked at her and returned her smile.

"Thanks." He offered. "That's so nice of you."

Jahnee then scooped up Judith and proceeded to twirl the small girl around until she let out a contagious laugh that spread to both teenagers.

* * *

"A couple of days and you'll be off probation, Grimes. Then I can give you your gun back." Offered Peter as he and Rick waited for Michonne and Valarie to finish sorting through clothing.

"Hell, I'll be so happy. It feels like ages." Said Rick.

"It has been ages. Now, before I forget, if you're up to it, there's this run we got comin' up. I need you on it, Rick. There's been some serious shit goin' down on the outside, and John wants a few good men out there to handle it."

"I don't think John wants me doin' anything or goin' anywhere." Rick said.

"Well that's the thing; he pointed out that your probie period is almost up, and that you'd be a good addition to the ranks of law keepers. He wants you to step up, Rick. You can get out of that garden and do what you're best at; law and order, protectin' people." Said Peter vehemently.

Rick considered what his friend was telling him.

"What's the run?" Rick asked.

"You know the newbies that showed up last week? They're just kids. When they got here, they told us about this group that was goin' around kidnapping people. Mostly women and teenagers; the girl ain't said too much, but the boy he told us they were being abused. There was beatings and rapes and they were basically kept as slaves. We've had some of our own people go missin' too…"

Rick shook his head and felt his stomach turn.

"Roberta. We found her on the outside and she sent us here. It's the same men that took her?" Rick asked.

"We think so. We couldn't get a line on 'em when y'all first got here, but looks like we might just have a good lead. They're still in the Infirmary but as soon as the boy is able to walk properly again, he said he'd take us to where they were keepin' em locked up."

"Fuck." Said Rick. "What the fuck is wrong with people?"

Both men shook their heads.

"Look, let me have a word to Michonne 'bout it. I ain't makin' any promises 'cause my family comes first, but I wanna help." He added.

"Alright, man." Said Peter. "Thank you. I appreciate any help you can give. We'll give it a couple days and then we'll go talk to the boy."

"What's his name again?"

Asked Rick as he stood to help Michonne who had returned with clothes in one arm and Judith in the other. Peter stood and rubbed the child's head before answering.

"Noah, the boy's name is Noah."

* * *

A/N: To find out about Roberta, please see chapter one of the prologue to this fic, _Onward From Here_


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Thanks so much for all of the reviews and a huge hello and welcome to new readers, in particular **jollybelucky **and **SparkleMichele**! Oh and **ezillyamused**, this is a huge smile and wave for you now that you're caught up on chapters. Everyone else, as always, you are awesome! I had to throw in a nice Richonne moment for you all because the reviews have been stellar. Enjoy!

xXxXx

Rick Grimes silently stood in his family's new residence and fixed his holster to his waist; he then checked to see if his Colt was sufficiently loaded and slipped it into its place. It was still early in the morning and Carl and Judith were still deep in slumber. Michonne sat on the edge of her cot and watched Rick as he prepared himself for his first day of his new work detail as law keeper for the Settlement.

Rick had spoken to Michonne about Peter's request immediately after they had shared the meal with their new friends. Michonne was a little hesitant to believe that John would so easily want Rick to join the law keeper ranks, but she had come to realize that Peter was persuasive. When she was informed that it was John's idea that Rick join, she definitely found it hard to believe; Michonne was still not the most trusting person when it came to outsiders. She did, however, realize how important it was for Rick to feel as if he was making a real difference. Keeping law and order was intrinsic for Rick, and Michonne knew he needed to feel some purpose again. With this job, he would make a difference; with this job, Rick would have purpose.

She knew how dangerous his new duties were going to be, but she supported Rick; she also remembered seeing the woman Roberta by the creek that day. What those men had done to her was appalling and they needed to be stopped. With Rick helping, their chances of finding those animals had risen. Rick was a good man through and through, he and Peter would not stand for violent offenders who preyed on women and children to be so close to their home; Michonne was proud of Rick, even though she was worried about him as well.

Rick turned and looked at a positively glowing Michonne as she sat smiling at him and looking somewhat thoughtful.

"I didn't realize just how much I missed it." Michonne said wistfully staring at Rick and trailing her eyes down to his weapon. Rick, slightly confused, replied:

"You missed my gun?"

"No, I missed seein' you _wear_ your gun." She said, as if it made perfect sense.

Rick looked to her and tilted his head slightly.

"Why's that?" He queried as he adjusted the gun belt and moved toward Michonne before taking up a seat next to her.

She scrunched up her face and appeared a little sheepish.

"I feel sort of silly saying why, mainly 'cause I know you'll keep bringin' it up later." She offered.

Rick glanced at her with a bewildered expression before he went to speak.

"Go on." He started. "Now I really wanna know."

Michonne grinned a little.

"Well, if you must know, I think it's sexy." She said.

Rick chuckled and raised an eyebrow.

"Really? The belt's sexy or I'm sexy?" He asked, amused that she was slightly apprehensive to tell him.

"You're sexy, ya dork!" Michonne offered. "The belt just… _adds_ to your sex appeal."

Rick smiled widely.

"And it takes the focus away from your flat ass." She added with a giggle.

Rick feigned offence and nudged her with his shoulder.

"Hey! I thought you loved my flat ass?" Rick asked.

Michonne offered him a playful grin.

"I do! I love your flat ass…" She said before placing a chaste kiss to his lips.

"And I love your bowed legs…" _Another kiss._

"And I love your curls." _A deeper kiss._

Rick smiled at her and said a silent prayer of thanks.

"What about when I get old and my ass gets fat and my curls fall out? You'd still love me then?" He asked teasingly.

Michonne's face grew serious as she took in Rick's appearance; running her fingers through his hair. She knew what this world had in store for so many people and she wanted so desperately for Rick and the children to grow old, and for her to see them grow old. He noticed that she had become a little sombre upon hearing his question.

"That's all I want, Rick. To see you as an old, fat, bald man." She said as her eyes began to water.

She wiped the tear away, "Damn my hormones!"

They both laughed a little before Michonne went to speak again.

"And to answer your question, flat ass, yes. Even if all of your hair fell out, I'd love you anyway. I'll love you forever."

Now it was Rick's turn to tear up as both he and Michonne pressed their foreheads together and closed their eyes.

xXxXx

Rick met up with Peter and some of the other law keepers in the administration building near where the Council routinely met. He thought it felt strange to be going to work in law enforcement again. After everything that he had seen at the end of the world and after everything he had _done_; Rick was starting to feel as if one could actually come back from it all. That there was some sort of hope for the future.

"The setup is pretty straightforward." Peter started. "We're in charge of perimeter checks, watch and sentry duties. We do a lot of the scouting for supply runs and it's our job to deal with the troublemakers. We also keep the master keys here too."

Rick nodded and continued to listen.

"We have an armory that I'll show you later, and it's up to us to go on runs for weapons and ammo. We're also into training residents with hand-to-hand combat as well as with weapons. Everyone should know how to protect themselves." Peter added.

"What about security further out away from the Settlement? I know I ain't been outside the walls for some time, but I've been thinking about that too." Rick said.

"What were you thinkin'?"

Asked Peter, glad that Rick was comfortable in speaking up and offering ideas. A lot of the survivors who served as law keepers did not necessarily have a background in law enforcement, but were strong and trustworthy. Peter was pleased to have another police officer working with him.

"Well, I don't know what our resources are like, but maybe havin' someone man some sentry posts on the outside to keep watch if that other groups is thinkin' of comin' by. I know we're on the edge o' the township, but we could look at fortifying some of the surrounding streets as well. It could take a while, but we got nothin' but time at this point." Said Rick, thinking ahead.

"That's a really good idea, Grimes. Definitely somethin' we should be lookin' into. But, first we gotta talk to the kid and see what he can tell us about their manpower and defences." Offered McGillion, one of the other law men.

"Actually," Said Peter. "We should get out there on sentry post today, see what we can see. Grimes and I will talk to Noah, McGillion, you take Roundtree and Shankar and ride out to find somewhere we can set up as a watch post. If we're goin' after 'em, we gotta be able to protect the Settlement."

The men nodded and went to undertake their duties as advised. Rick turned to Peter and began to speak again.

"Remember I told you about havin' trouble with other groups?" He asked as Peter nodded to say yes.

"If these assholes are gettin' closer to us, and we're gonna go after 'em, we need everyone we've got to be able to fight 'em off if it comes to that." Rick stated.

"Yeah, I was fearin' as much." Said Peter. "Ya know, the whole time we've been here, the only trouble we've seen was from that group who's been abductin' people. Everyone else that showed up either moved on or stayed, like y'all did. But the reality is, people are more dangerous than the walkers and we gotta be prepared 'cause, from what you've told me, it's gettin' worse."

Rick nodded, recalling firsthand how brutal other people could be; he himself had taken part in brutality in order to survive and for vengeance.

"If I've learned anything," said Rick. "It's that we can't just sit on our asses and wait for them to come to us. We gotta go to them. Once the kid is ready, I think I should go with him to where they held 'em and take Daryl Dixon too. He can track and he's handy with weapons. Less people the better for a recon mission."

"Okay, I'll run it by John later today." Replied Peter. "Was there anything else ya reckon I should put before the Council?"

Rick thought for a while, then answered.

"Yeah, ask 'em about law keeper recruitment; I'm tellin' ya, we could sure use some of my people on this team."

* * *

A/N: Aww, Rick is really in his element now. Looks like they're preparing to take down the band of rapists and slavers. Now, let's hope we can get more of our faves into the ranks of law keepers! Next instalment will focus on why this other group is so dangerous and need to be stopped. Thanks for reading :)

P.S. Hope you all enjoyed the small Richonne moment!


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Thank you, dear readers *sings _have I told you lately that I love you?*_

castlefan83: Your slaughter may still be coming!

Alex311: You should always be worried for Rick…

focusedOnProsperity: Ah, yes; those people who say that no one would fall in love in a ZA. I liken it to a war zone, and people fall in love in war torn countries all the time. It's human nature to rise above the despair and the filth and find beauty. The naysayers can kindly eff off! Lol Oh and that John is problematic.

Kam: Definitely, Michonne would never let her guard down when it comes to her family.

KK: Calm before the storm? Hmm, I think you may be right! Oh and I effing love that prison era gifset. There is something about his gun belt…

jollybelucky: Oh yeah, Rick resuming a leadership role. I wonder, is it just in time for something? Hehe and you are totally part of the group now!

Midnights-AM-Child: Aww emotional/hormonal Michonne is so cute! And, you have been warned, these bastards are abominable…

CodeName-M.e: I'm smiling at your head-nodding :) and Peter really is good company for Rick; like I said before, Rick's gonna need friends inside the Settlement.

literaturechick: Yes! Rick is a natural leader.

ezillyamused: hehehe I enjoy your puns lol and I cannot wait to write some action with Rick and Daryl on the outside!

KyannaLashae: Thank you! Yes, it's good that Rick's doing something he's really good at. He can channel all of that aggression into something useful!

Amrcncpprhd: Hey! There you are! Missed your reviews.

* * *

Trigger Warning: implied violence against children and implied non-consensual sex.

xXxXx

_Some months ago…_

An eerie silence fell over the camp of seven people in a wooded area of the Georgian countryside. They had set up rope and anything that was made of metal or other materials that were loud enough to alert them to the presence of any unwanted visitors. While it worked well enough on the walking corpses, those threats who were alive would prove to be a different story.

The close sound of a stick being snapped underfoot caused the members of the camp to become quiet. Just as one of the men stood up to investigate, he was struck a blow from an unknown person and fell to the ground. The others became panicked and scrambled quickly for their weapons in an attempt to protect themselves. Their haste was to no avail, for just as suddenly as their friend had been assaulted, they found themselves surrounded at gunpoint.

They had been ordered to place their weapons to the ground and to lie flat on their stomachs while their tents and bags were searched for anything that their attackers could find of use. They pillaged most of their food and ammunition; but there was something else they wanted. The leader examined their victims as they lay shaken and afraid on the floor of the woods. There were two young women, two middle aged men, one young man and a teenaged boy and girl.

He had already decided that he was going to put a bullet in the back of the head of the three men and take the women and children.

"What d'ya say, boss? I think we got more'an we can carry." Said one of the men with the guns.

Their leader waited a moment before he replied.

"Alright, tie up the women and kids, then get rid of them men."

On overhearing the order, the captives began to grow panicked. One of the older men pleaded for their lives, only to be met with the butt of a rifle to the back of his head. The girl began to whimper as she and the boy were set upon by two of the men. Their hands were bound behind their backs and gags placed in their mouths. The same was then done to the two women just before one of their captors used a pistol fitted with a makeshift silencer to fire three clean shots; one each into the heads of the men.

Their victims began to cry and struggle for freedom, but it was useless. The hot barrel of the pistol pressed against the girl's head soon caused the others to quieten down. The leader looked at the teenager and pressed his dirty hand to her underdeveloped breast and squeezed it roughly.

"She's older than I usually like, but her tits are small and we got us a bunch o' razors." He said flatly. "Besides, after I'm done with her, we can trade her off to someone else."

The girl cried into her gag as he led her forcefully in the direction from which they came.

"Come on boys." He said to his followers. "You can fuck 'em when we get back to the van, don't wanna stay out here too long. That air's got a bit of a chill to it."

xXxXx

Noah sat on a chair directly adjacent to Rick and Peter in a quiet section of the Infirmary. He was able to move a little better than he had when he and his companion Cynthia first arrived at the Settlement in need of safe harbor. They had made their escape from the men that held them captive and somehow stumbled upon the Settlement in the early hours of the morning. They were malnourished and weak; but they were alive.

"I'm glad you're feelin' up to talkin', son." Said Peter to the teenager who nodded.

"It's fine. I just want those assholes stopped." Was his reply.

"What can you tell us about 'em?" Said Rick, wearing a concerned yet comforting look.

"They take women and kids and kill the men. I was with my dad when they came up to us." The boy started, swallowing loudly as he recalled the traumatic experience.

"There was maybe five of 'em. Pulled guns on us. Tied us up and put a gag on us." He looked down at his hands as he rubbed them together.

"It's okay, you're safe now." Said Peter, urging Noah to continue.

"They dragged me away back to this van they had. After a while, one of the 'em came along, but my dad wasn't with him." The boy sighed loudly. "They laughed about killin' him when we drove off."

Rick and Peter looked at each other; Rick shook his head then placed a hand at Noah's shoulder.

"We're sorry about your dad, and for what you've been through." Rick said softly.

The boy sat with his head down; taking comfort in the fact that there were still people left in the world who did not prey on the vulnerabilities of those deemed weaker than them.

"Noah." Rick said. "You don't have to think about that now, but can you tell us a bit about where they kept you?"

"What do ya wanna know?" Noah asked, lifting his gaze to Rick.

"Anything you can remember. What kind of place was it? How many people were there? Who was in charge? What kind of firepower did they have? Whatever you can tell us will be helpful." Rick answered.

Noah squinted slightly before preparing to tell Rick and Peter about the place that was his nightmare for the better part of a year.

xXxXx

Noah explained that they had been taken to a farm house that had a high, brick wall around it and guards posted at each corner; the rest of the farm had been cleared of walkers and there stood a few huts reserved for seasonal workers that the men used, but the area beyond the walls was not as secure as the area immediately around the main house. Inside the brick walls stood a water tank and large barn; it was inside of the barn that the captives slept and took their meagre meals. There was a cellar under the main house; it was in the cellar that most of the gruesome acts occurred. All that Noah had explained was that there was a frightening amount of sexual assaults that took place there under that house. The captives were used as objects that belonged to their captors; and it was not just the ones who lived inside the farmyard that violated those they had abducted. Noah told of how some of the captives were traded with other groups in exchange for vehicles, food, ammunition and even for _other _people.

Both Rick and Peter felt their stomachs turn at learning the terrible news. Rick thought back to the incident on the road when those men had threatened to hurt Carl and Michonne. He knew that there were people out there who would victimize others.

"What's their firepower like, Noah?" asked Peter, in an effort to get the teenager's mind off the atrocities that he had suffered and witnessed momentarily.

"They've got a lot of weapons." He said. "They've had to have a lot of weapons to be able to keep us all there and under control."

Suddenly, it occurred to Rick to ask an obvious question.

"Son, how'd the two of you get away?"

Noah looked at both men and his expression became somewhat abashed.

"They beat us most of the time, ya know. Even if we didn't do anything wrong; even after we worked and worked that farm so they had food. They still beat us. They did worse things too…" Said Noah as he trailed off slightly.

"Anyways, Cynthia told me about the Coaxers."

"Who're the Coaxers?" Asked Rick, feeling his heart go out to the boy as he watched the despair envelop his brown eyes.

"They're like the favourites or the pets; they send them out to find other kids or women or groups to rob. Coaxers pretend they're alone and then the Slavers come along and…and take what they want. Or they pretend they have a safe camp, and of course people trust women and kids, right? So they coax 'em back to the farm and the Slavers do what they always do."

"Why do they do it?" Asked Peter.

"They do it 'cause it means they'll only belong to one of 'em, and not get passed around. Plus the beatings stop." Noah explained, avoiding their gaze.

"I said to Cynthia that we should offer to be Coaxers and then when they let us out, we would make a run for it. So we ran and ran and found this place. They'll be expecting us to go back in about two more days or so."

"So you're the only ones that have run away?" Rick asked.

"As far as I know, I mean, Cynthia only mentioned the Coaxers a week ago; so I didn't even know about it all until then."

Rick thought that was a little strange, but continued to listen.

"She said we'd been there long enough for them to consider us, and I think she was gonna really go through with it until I said we should run. I mean, I don't get how anyone could do that." Noah offered.

Rick and Peter understood the nature of Traumatic Bonding Theory and Stockholm Syndrome and were sure that was at play in this instance.

"Yeah, me too." Said Rick. "But these days, people do a lot of things to survive. Look at you, you came all this way with an injury. You're a tough kid, Noah. We're glad to have you here."

The teenager smiled a little and felt safe with the two law keepers.

xXxXx

"What do you know about 'em?" Asked Carl as he and Jahnee walked over to the Infirmary.

"Hmm, not too much. My dad just said they had a tough time outside. The least I could do is give the girl some clothes to change into." She said.

Carl smiled at Jahnee thinking about how thoughtful and compassionate she was. She did not witness or experience as much of the bad things as Carl had, she had spent very little time on the road. Her kindness was something that he liked about her, but yet, he felt a little scared that she would not be able to protect herself should anything happen that required ferocity.

"That's so nice of you." He said causing her to grin. "You're too nice for this place."

"What's that mean?" She asked, wide eyed and a little curious as to her friend's meaning.

"Don't get me wrong, I know you're tough…" He started.

"Lucky, mister." She pointed at him and said jokingly.

"It's just that you got a lot of heart, and it's rare in this world."

Carl explained, holding Jahnee's gaze; when she did not look away, he felt self-conscious.

"I'll take that as a compliment." She said as she hooked her arm in Carl's and led him into the Infirmary.

When the two friends walked over to where the newcomers were, Noah looked at them and offered a small grin; Carl and Jahnee responded in the same manner. They greeted one another and made their introductions. Cynthia did not even roll over from where she was laid out on the cot until she heard a girl's voice introduce someone named Carl. She immediately sat up and faced them.

"Cynthia, Jahnee here brought you some clothed." Said Noah.

Cynthia looked at the other girl and did not give any thanks after she snatched up the garments; instead she held Carl's gaze and offered him a wide smile. Jahnee found it rude that she was ignoring her and giving Carl attention. She shrugged it off and finally grabbed Carl by the arm to lead him away.

"Wait, where are you goin'?" Asked Cynthia.

"We're goin' to shoot some hoops." Answered Jahnee.

Cynthia continued to ignore her, then spoke straight to Carl.

"Can I come with?"

xXxXx

Rick watched Judith playing on the floor in their room, as he took up a seat on the rug in front of Michonne who was sitting on her cot. She placed her hands to his shoulders.

"Rick, you're tense. How was your first day?" She asked, hoping that he was happy with the new work detail.

He reached up and took one of her hands, placing a gentle kiss to it.

"It was fine. Just can't stop thinkin' about what that boy told us. There's some truly bad people out there." He said.

"The Council said I could take Daryl and the boy out to check their set up. But it just feels weird, you know what I mean."

"Like it's a trap?" Michonne asked.

"Maybe, I dunno."

"So you think the kid's lying?" Queried Michonne as she grew concerned about the whole situation.

"No, nah. Nothin' like that. He's tellin' the truth. I just find it strange that they've been out there the whole time, and haven't tried to come here and strongarm us into givin' up people or weapons, since they sound capable of it. Somethin' ain't right here, but I just can't figure it out."

Michonne sighed, knowing that Rick's hunches were often spot on.

"You're gonna take Noah all the way back to the place they held him in?" She asked.

"No. I don't think so. Me and Daryl will find it. He's just a kid and I couldn't forgive myself if somethin' happened and he ended up back with those animals. If somethin' like what happened to Noah happened to Carl…"

Suddenly, Rick noticed his son was not home.

"Michonne?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's Carl?"

* * *

A/N: Ugh, I did not enjoy writing that, but it had to be told so we could see who we're dealing with; yep, total effing scum!

So any guesses as to what's going on? Should Rick trust his gut? And shite, where the bloody Hell is Carl?!

More to come!


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Thank you all for reading and reviewing! The group of Slavers really are abominable and I do apologise to anyone who found the content difficult to read.

Sorry, this one is short; but there's a nice Richonne scene!

* * *

The sun was fast dropping behind the trees and the sky was flushed with bright hues of orange, pink and the slightest hint of purple. Carl narrowed his eyes a little while using his hand to shield them from the bright rays that broke through. He watched as his friend Jahnee jogged to the farthest end of the basketball courts to retrieve the ball that had bounced away. She held her hand to the top of her head to keep Carl's hat in place and moved swiftly and gracefully.

Carl felt a little uneasy from the presence of the new girl, Cynthia. She seemed odd, even by the standards of that day and age. She stood a little too close to Carl and did not really speak to Jahnee; he found her unsettling. They had been playing basketball shooting games for some time now, and the girl behaved as if it was just her and Carl there; she even wanted him to physically show her how to shoot and took any opportunity she could to touch him. He could tell Jahnee was becoming increasingly annoyed by the way that Cynthia was acting; in all honesty, their new acquaintance was making him feel uncomfortable.

By the time Jahnee reached the ball, she stopped and looked back at her friend and the newcomer; Carl was watching her as she called his name and motioned for him to meet her at the fence.

"I'll be right back." Carl said to a displeased looking Cynthia; she stood there and watched him sprint over to his friend.

He stopped in front of Jahnee who tossed him the basketball before glancing over at Cynthia.

"What's her deal?" The teenage girl asked.

Carl shrugged before turning around to look at her; Cynthia stood still and watched them.

"I don't know. She's a little bit weird." He offered.

"Yeah, she's a whole lotta weird." said Jahnee. "Why doesn't she talk to me?"

"Again, I dunno. Maybe she's just shy." Carl said, not believing his own explanation.

"Shy? The way she's grabbin' all on you, I don't think so. Nah, she just doesn't like me." The girl said as she folded her arms across her chest.

"She doesn't know you yet. Give it some time, Jahnee." Carl replied.

"She don't know you either, Carl! Whatever. I don't wanna play anymore. I'm goin' home."

Was all she said before walking away from Carl; Cynthia watched the pair before she moved in their direction.

"Wait!" He called out to Jahnee who did not stop. "I'm comin' too."

"Carl? What's goin' on?" Cynthia asked in a slow drawl, ignoring Jahnee again.

"Uh? Nothing. It's gettin' late. The sun's gonna go down soon. We have to go home. You should head back to the Infirmary."

He said before calling out to his friend once more.

"Jahnee, wait up!"

She stopped near the gate, waited and took in the scene. Cynthia stepped towards Carl and grabbed his arm gently. The boy looked at her questioningly.

"I don't wanna walk back by myself, Carl. Will you come with me?"

Cynthia asked as her light brown hair fell over her glassy, grey eyes after she dipped her head and looked up at Carl through her eyelashes, almost pleadingly. Carl threw a glance over at Jahnee who shook her head, turned and left them standing there. He sighed loudly and offered the newcomer a tiny grin that he was not fully committed to before responding.

"Okay. Let's go."

* * *

_"__Where's Carl?"_

Michonne looked around their living quarters as if she expected to see Carl sitting down somewhere eating stale candy or reading a book.

"I don't know, Rick. Probably still shootin' hoops." Was her answer.

Rick got up to his feet and stepped around Judith who was busying herself with the toys in the corner. He started pacing and wrung his hands together somewhat nervously.

"Why do you look so worried?" Michonne asked.

He shrugged a little before ambling over to the door, opening it and then peering out.

"I guess I'm feelin' a little shaken after talkin' to Noah."

Rick replied. He then walked back over to Michonne, placed his hands on his hips and furrowed his brow.

"I hear ya. I feel kind o' sick from what you told me. But Carl's gonna be fine right now. The kids are usually in a group and he's basically Jahnee's shadow now. He'll be back before the sun goes down; he knows the rules. I don't like seein' you worried all the time. Things have been good in the Settlement, Rick."

Michonne said reassuringly as she stood and made her way over to Rick. She wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head against his chest. Rick embraced Michonne back and rested his head on hers before letting out a loud sigh.

"That's what I'm worried 'bout. Just when things seem to be goin' good, something shitty always happens. It's like with these pricks who are out there hurtin' people, it's on me to do something; I told Peter I would. And now that I know what they're capable of, I gotta worry about you and the kids. I can't let my guard down."

Michonne shifted so that she was face-to-face with her love; their eyes locked and Rick's stare softened as he offered her a small grin before growing serious again.

"I'm not sayin' let your guard down; Hell, I'm the last person to drop their guard. I'm just sayin' don't let worry eat you up. We stay realistic, stay on the lookout for shit and then deal with it when and if it happens. That's how we get by, Rick. But I can't have you livin' inside your head or beatin' yourself up with worry. Just like everything else, we have to take it day-by-day. You follow your gut and do what you gotta do. I'll talk to Carl when he gets home; we'll be more careful from now on until you take those assholes down."

Rick nodded and felt slightly more relieved; Michonne always knew what to say to ease his troubled mind. He searched her face, glancing from her eyes to her mouth and then pressed his lips to hers. Michonne kissed Rick back as he let his hands slip down to her backside. She deepened the kiss and threw her arms over Rick's shoulders.

Rick broke their kiss momentarily while he led Michonne to the sofa; he sat down and pulled her onto his lap so that she was straddling him. Michonne ran her fingers through his curls as his mouth expertly explored the delicate skin of her neck. His hunger for Michonne had intensified, even though he had an inkling that she would not want to do anything with Judith still in the room. He moved his lips to hers and relished in the feeling of her kissing him back as fervently as he kissed her. They had not had the chance to be intimate since they had shifted to their new living space and both were presently overcome with desire. Rick's hand moved deftly up underneath Michonne's top before…

_Tap tap tap_

Someone rapped at their door; Rick, almost breathlessly cursed and swore and looked longingly at Michonne. She beamed at him and then slid off of his lap.

_Tap tap tap_

"Hold on!"

Called Rick as he adjusted himself in the front of his pants; Michonne noticed.

"I got it." She said as she stood and made her way to the door.

"Hi Jahnee," She answered. "What's up?"

"Hi there." Said the girl with a small smile; she seemed shy around Michonne. "I've got Carl's hat; just bringin' it back to him."

"I thought he was with you?" Michonne asked, becoming concerned.

"No, I left him with that new girl Cynthia at the courts like twenty minutes ago or somethin' like that." Jahnee replied, looking concerned herself.

Michonne glanced over at Rick who was already walking towards them wearing a stern expression.

"I'll take Jahnee home then go find Carl." Said Rick as he kissed Michonne chastely and made his way out the door.

...

The sun had set by the time Rick approached the empty basketball courts; he felt a sense of panic rise up from his stomach as he looked around the blank area. Carl knew better than to wander around on his own after dark; they had an agreement since the whole Thom and Brandon incident had occurred. An ominous mood prevailed as Rick heard his heart beating loudly in his ears. There were dangerous people about and he could not find his son. Rick almost let his panic take over his practical thinking; Carl was with the new girl last, so the best place to look for them would be the Infirmary, he silently reasoned. With that train of thought, Rick marched off in the direction of the hospice hoping to find his son there with Noah and Cynthia.

* * *

A/N: There's definitely something amiss here; is it what some of you were thinking or a completely different scenario? Either way, you'll find out soon enough! Thanks :)


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: I absolutely love hearing your conjecture!

Alex311: I think your heart rate is about to quicken again!

focusedOnProsperity: Hmm, I'll let you find out!

literaturechick: I can say that John is conniving and vindictive and we should not forget about him.

Reina: Oh my, please read this and we'll talk about it later!

ezillyamused: Thanks! Jahnee is definitely a tough cookie. It's been fun writing a friend for Carl and I'm glad that this is causing you to have a lot of questions!

mysterion0.o: Thanks! Now there's a reason our minds always think the worst 'cause in TWD universe, bad stuff usually happens!

KK: Oh dear, you've figured that out about me lol poor Rick. Michonne rarely seems to mind, hey, there's an idea... Michonne becoming annoyed at interruptions to sexy time! And Carl and co have been safe for some time now; he's been with friends his own age and has let his guard down (plus I'm writing it as if his teenage hormones have kicked in lol).

CodeName-M.e: You're so cute with your reviews!

Midnights-AM-Child: Oh goodness, you may have to cross your toes after reading this.

Yay! Chapter 30; I hope this doesn't disappoint!

* * *

Rick was met at the reception area of the Infirmary by a middle aged woman with a strict face; it was well after visiting hours and the woman seemed unenthusiastic at him showing up. While she did not recall seeing his son in the hospice, she allowed the law keeper to enter in search of the boy. Rick walked hurriedly to the spot where Noah and Cynthia were; he saw them both sitting on their cots, but did not see Carl. Noah smiled as Rick got closer while Cynthia dropped her head and folded her arms over her chest in a self-soothing manner.

"You lookin' for Carl?" Asked Noah before Rick could even say anything.

"Yes I am." Rick drawled.

"You just missed him. He walked Cynthia back here and then said he was goin' home." Noah explained.

"Well, that's mighty gentlemanly of him. You feelin' better, Cynthia?" Rick asked as he turned his gaze to the teenage girl.

She did not say anything in response, but only nodded her head.

"That's good to know." Said Rick. "I gotta get goin'. Noah, let me know if you're feelin' up to takin' a little trip tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." Answered the boy as he and Rick both bid each other goodnight.

xXxXx

A wave of relief washed over Rick as he stepped through the door of their living quarters and saw Carl sitting at the table with Michonne eating his supper. Relief gave way to annoyance as Rick remembered his son had broken one of their rules about being outside after dark. Rick leaned both his hands on the table, looked from Michonne to Carl then began to speak.

"You wanna tell me where you were?" He asked.

"I was at the courts, like always." Carl answered, not looking up from his food.

"You were out after dark, Carl. I thought we had an agreement?" Rick said as he stood up straight and crossed his arms.

Carl remained silent and Rick grew more frustrated,

"Hey! Look at me when I'm talkin' to you."

Rick said, louder than he had intended to and startled Judith who was playing happily on the floor. Both Michonne and Carl looked at Rick quickly.

"What's wrong, Dad?" Asked Carl, a little taken aback by his father's outwardly foul mood.

"Rick, just sit down a minute." Michonne offered.

Rick glanced at her, then back to Carl before he pulled up a seat.

"Son. We had an agreement about you bein' out after dark. You have to be careful."

"I am careful, Dad." Carl replied, completely oblivious to why Rick was acting overprotective. "What's this all about?"

"I can't go into all the details." Rick started. "But there've been reports 'bout dangerous people who've been kidnapping women and children."

"I'm not a little kid, Dad!" Carl interrupted.

"I know, I know. I ain't callin' you a little kid, son. But these people have been kidnappin' young people around your age and older. That's where Noah and Cynthia came from; they were kept but they got away. And these people, they're a threat to us here. The truth is, Noah and Cynthia are valuable to them. They might come for them, and we have to be cautious, Carl." Rick said while rubbing his hand over his beard.

Carl remained quiet and shocked; he knew what people were capable of, but being safe for a short while made him push it to the back of his mind. Having friends to spend time with made him forget that the world was still a harsh place outside the safety of the Settlement.

"Why are they valuable to them? What happened, Dad? Did they hurt Noah and Cynthia?" Carl asked.

Rick sighed and regarded Michonne; she gave Rick an encouraging look and nodded.

"They were abused by those people; kept as slaves and sold to other people." Rick said quietly.

Carl furrowed his brows and an expression of disgust covered his face.

"They target women, children _and _teenagers." Said Michonne. "That's why we need to know where you are at all times, Carl."

The boy nodded in agreement; then his face dropped.

"Jahnee! I let her walk off by herself! She could be in trouble!" Carl exclaimed as he leaped from his seat.

"She's fine. She came by with your hat and your dad walked her home." Michonne explained to a then relieved Carl; he took his seat once again.

"That's good; I was worried there for a sec. And I'm sorry I had you guys worried too. Are you gonna stop them, Dad? The dangerous people?" Carl asked.

He recognized the look of trepidation in his father's gaze; he knew his father would go after anyone who threatened the safety and security of his family.

"Yes. We're not lettin' 'em get away with it. We're goin' after 'em."

xXxXx

"You sure you wanna stay down here? This mat is hard as shit." Rick said to Michonne.

She chuckled slightly and shifted her body closer to Rick's; she rested her head on his arm and draped her own over his waist.

"I just wanna be near you." Michonne replied, causing Rick to smile widely.

He kissed her forehead and absentmindedly ran his fingers up and down her arm. The room was dark save for a solar powered lantern near where Judith was sleeping. Carl's light was out as there was no silhouette cast on the sheet that they used as a room divider.

"I just wanna take care of you and the baby."

Rick said after moving his hand to Michonne's face and stroking her cheek softly. It always amazed her how he could be the aggressive leader that their people needed; the intimidating law keeper; and on the other hand be loving and kind to her and their children. This ability to shift and adapt was one of the things Michonne loved about him.

"I know, but pregnant women have slept on the ground for thousands of years, Rick. I'm sure my ancestors did it, and I'm proud to be part of that legacy. I'll be fine; we can't always have a nice, soft bed, but anywhere is perfect if we're all together." She offered, squeezing him tightly.

Rick smiled again; she never failed to astound him with her pragmatism and strength. Not once did she complain about the morning sickness at the start, being short of wind or having back pain. Michonne always got on with life, which was one of the things Rick loved about her.

"You're amazing." He whispered, moving so that he could place a kiss to her mouth.

"Yeah, yeah; I know these things." She replied happily.

They fell silent a moment before Michonne spoke once again.

"You and Daryl headin' out tomorrow?"

"Yeah, looks like. If the kid is up to it, we'll go find where they stay and get some recon done." Rick answered wearily.

"What is it?" He then asked after Michonne fell silent again; he could sense that something was bothering her.

"I don't know. Something just doesn't feel right. This whole situation just doesn't sit right with me. I can't shake the feeling. Promise you'll be careful out there." She said, almost pleadingly.

"You know I will. And I've got that same feelin' too, but we gotta go out." He replied.

"Yeah, I just wish I was goin' with you." Said Michonne.

"Hey, I'll be fine; Daryl's gonna be there to have my back if somethin' goes wrong. Don't you go worryin' now." He offered.

"I have to worry. I kinda like havin' you around, Rick Grimes." Michonne said playfully before she lifted her mouth to his.

Both of their worries faded away as they held each other long into the night.

xXxXx

Rick sat in the backseat of the rusty Jeep while Noah sat up front and Daryl drove in silence. They left the Settlement early in the day to make the trip to where the newcomers had escaped from. They had found the spot where both Noah and Cynthia were left. It was not too far away from the Settlement and off the sealed roads. The car came to a halt as Rick and Daryl scanned the immediate area for dangers; living or otherwise. When the area was decidedly clear, the men moved to exit the vehicle while Noah waited for instructions.

Daryl searched the ground for tracks or anything that could verify the teenagers' story. He squatted down near some tyre marks then glanced up at Rick.

"Looks like they dropped them kids off here; see, their tracks are headin' off that way." He said as he pointed in the direction of the Settlement.

"What about their car? Will we know which way they went?" Asked Rick before he threw a look at Noah who seemed uncomfortable hanging about the area.

"Yeah, most likely made their way up to the main road. They turned around over there," he said as he pointed to the ground. "The kid's gon' have to think hard about which way they came from; won't be able to track on the sealed road."

Rick nodded. "If we can get close enough for Noah to ID the place, that's all we'll need to do today. There's probably only a few farms around here close enough to be their base; just a matter of us takin' the roads off the main one until he recognizes somethin'. Poor kid. This can't be easy. Hope he ain't blockin' too much out."

Daryl stood, glanced at Rick a second then averted his eyes.

"I saw some kids who were abused when I was a cop. Ain't easy for 'em to remember, even if it means they'll get the help they need. Just hope he can get us to where these assholes are." Rick said, looking at Noah.

He missed the hint of recognition in Daryl; the look of understanding and knowing at the mention of childhood abuse. They walked back to the car in silence and got back in.

"We're goin' to the main road," started Rick. "You think you'll be able to get us close from there?"

"Yes, sir." Said Noah. "I'll try."

xXxXx

They drove quietly until they reached the sealed road; Daryl turned left and then he began to speak.

"Hey, kid? How long you reckon you were in the back of the van before they hit the road?"

"Maybe thirty or forty minutes." He said. "I wasn't really thinkin' about the trip. Just wanted to get out of there."

Daryl nodded knowingly; he contemplated Noah's situation, his own experiences, and debated whether he should keep talking. Surprisingly, Daryl continued.

"It ain't your fault, you know?" He said to Noah.

The teenager looked over at the man behind the wheel of the car; he remained silent.

"What happened to you, it ain't your fault. And it ain't who you are as a person. Fucked up things happen to us sometimes; and sometimes, the fucked up shit is worse for others. What happened to you, you didn't deserve it. No matter what those sick fucks told you. I know they took a lot from you, but they didn't take who you are, that person inside. You're one tough kid. You're with us now, and we look after each other."

Rick listened to Daryl and thought it was the most he had ever heard the man say to someone they did not know well.

"He's right, Noah." Added Rick. "We'll take care of you."

Noah felt the tears well in his eyes and a lump form in his throat. He had been subjected to so much brutality and cruelty that he forgot there were still people in the world that could show decency towards another human being.

"Mr Dixon, please stop the car." Noah said as Daryl turned off to the side of the road and glanced over at him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" The boy said, tears streaming down his face.

"Noah?" Asked Rick. "What's goin' on?"

"Mr Grimes, I'm sorry! This, all o' this, it's a set up!"

xXxXx

Jahnee turned around when she had heard her name being called by an unfamiliar voice; it was Cynthia standing at the door of the library building looking panicked.

"What do _you_ want?" Jahnee asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Please, you have to come quick. It's Carl, he's been hurt!" Said Cynthia.

"What? Wait! Did you tell an adult?" Asked Jahnee, although she was already half way out of the building.

"I don't know anyone else. Besides, he said you worked here, said to come get you. Didn't want to get in trouble off his parents. Please, you gotta help." She said frantically.

Jahnee felt fearful that Carl was really in trouble, so she followed the other teenager quickly to where their friend was hurt. They rushed past the administration building, rations store and gymnasium until they rounded the corner of one of the less utilized buildings and came up to the wire fence. Jahnee could see that a hole had been cut in it, just the right size for a person to fit through. Both girls stepped through the hole and Jahnee looked around expecting to see Carl injured somewhere, instead, she felt the impact of a large piece of heavy wood connecting to the side of her head and saw only darkness.

xXxXx

Carl looked through the wire of the fence and saw his friend lying unconscious on the ground.

"What the fuck happened here, Cynthia? What were you two doin' out here?"

He demanded as he rushed through the opening to be by his friend's side. He kneeled down near Jahnee, and could see that her head was bleeding.

"Cynthia! What happened?"

Carl asked again, growing agitated. The girl stood and said nothing; a blank stare crossing her features. Carl realized quickly that he and Jahnee were no longer safe; he realized that Cynthia was dangerous. Carl quickly grabbed his sidearm and pointed it at Cynthia while he stood up straight and stepped towards her.

"What the fuck did you do to my friend?" he yelled. "I swear I'll shoot you where you're standing, now answer me!"

Cynthia's soulless eyes showed no emotion; it seemed as if she wanted to die. Carl cocked the hammer of his gun but then froze as he felt the cool steel of a pistol pressed against the side of his head. A man's voice then spoke directly into his ear.

"Drop the gun, sonny boy; y'all are comin' with us."


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! This one was fairly hectic to write as well.

Sabrina: My apologies, I think you'll be mad at this chapter as well…but thanks for reading and letting me know how it made you feel!

Nay766: Is this going to cause Rick to snap? Hmmm, we'll see.

castlefan83: You are not annoying at all! I love your reviews. And I think the slaughter is coming soon; Rick will not let them get away with this and something has to give.

mysterion0.o: Ha! You did call it! So, is your money on Rick or Michonne for saving the day?

KK: You're right, it was too late by the time Carl realised what was up. He knew something was off with Cynthia, he just couldn't imagine it was something like this. I'm glad you brought up how Cynthia reacted to Rick in the first place, as there was cause to feel sorry for her, but you can't use the bad things that happened to you as an excuse to hurt others. Oh and it's not wrong at all for you to be anticipating what Rick and Michonne are going to do!

BabyKay47: Thanks, I felt it was an understated scene between Richonne as well. And poor Carl, he just always seems to be drawn into the drama! I love him so much!

HermioneSnape4eva: Hahaha gosh you always make me laugh! That was classic!

focusedOnProsperity: Maybe there still is hope for Noah…and I think Carl is more capable then we sometimes give him credit for!

KyannaLashae: Aww, I had to up the suspense.

Alex311: I hope your heart is okay! And I like exploring Rick's complexities. Lately, it's very much a reactive Rick we're seeing. I think he's going to need to be a little more responsive after what happens in this chapter, but you'll see what I'm talking about soon enough!

Literaturechick: It's so interesting that you admit your quickness to see that Cynthia was capable of being bad and neglect to see that vulnerability in Noah. Noah was just better at relating to people that Cynthia was. But I won't give too much away now…

Ezillyamused: Aww, I'm glad you mentioned the scene with Daryl consoling Noah; I think that was the turning point in him not going through with the plan. He knows that Rick and Daryl are not bad people like the Slavers, but let's see _why_ he did what he did. I hope you didn't bite all of your nails!

CodeName-M.e: I'm glad a lot of you were so shocked at the news of Noah being a Coaxer too! Makes me smile. I think a rescue is in order as well…

Okay, here we go!

Warning: violence against children and torture

* * *

"What did you say?"

Asked Rick as he leaned toward the front of the car and placed his hand on his gun. Noah continued to cry as he endeavoured to explain what was happening.

"It's a set up, sir. They made me coax you out here…"

Rick swiftly removed his revolver from its holster and placed it to Noah's head; the boy was frozen stiff when he realized what the man had done.

"What the fuck is goin' on? You better start explainin', Noah." Rick said through his gritted teeth.

"They made me lead you away from the Settlement…"

"Why?" Yelled Rick as he pressed his gun harder into the teenager's head.

"I don't know why, I swear! They just said I had to coax the law keeper away from the Settlement. I had to get you outside and lead you up this road…and, and then they were gonna jump us and kill you! But I don't know anything else, I swear. Please, sir. I had no choice!"

"You had no fuckin' choice? You got a choice now, so tell me the fuckin' truth!" Rick said impatiently. "Who sent you?"

"Cynthia told me I had to do it…"

"What? She's in on it too?" Daryl interrupted.

"Yeah, she's one of them. Well, not one of them to start with. She was like me, they took her and I don't know, she was with 'em too long; she's a Coaxer. She said I had to do it…"

"And you just do what you're told, uh? Get the fuck outta the car. Now!" Said Rick.

Noah moved hesitantly and stepped out of the vehicle; Rick was right in front of him in an instant.

"Get on your knees." Rick said evenly as he pointed his gun between Noah's eyes. "Tell me why you did this."

"I'm tryin', please, I'm tryin'." Said a sobbing Noah as he knelt before Rick.

Daryl was by Rick's side and just as conflicted as his friend was about what was happening. Rick had to fight the dark urge inside of himself not to pull the trigger and kill the boy then and there. Rick could hear his own heart beating loudly in his ears and sweat began to bead on his brow; there was a slight shaking in his hand as he squeezed the trigger a little and then stopped. He had not expected this revelation, but something told me it was not the whole story.

"Go on." was all he said as he waited for Noah to finish explaining; he would not put a bullet in the head of the teenager today.

"They have my little brother. The people who killed my father; they took me and my five year old brother. They...they said if I didn't coax you away from the Settlement, they were gonna start hurting him like they hurt the rest of us. Either that or they'd find some sicko who liked little boys and trade him off. Please, I didn't know you then, Mr Grimes, when I said that I'd do it; but I can tell you're good people. You have a family and I know you'd do anything for them. I'd do anything for my family. You gotta believe me. I couldn't let 'em hurt my baby brother. I'm sorry. I really am sorry. I swear, they gave me no choice. I'm sorry."

Rick lowered his weapon and rubbed the back of his hand over his mouth. He was angry for letting his guard down; he knew something was amiss, he just did not think it would be this. The Slavers were more treacherous than he had imagined; threatening small children was abominable but hurting them was unspeakable. Rick saw the fear and sincerity in Noah's eyes and he knew that what the boy had said was the truth.

"What's Cynthia's part in all o' this?" Daryl asked.

Noah shrugged and then offered his answer.

"I don't know what she's doin'. They must've kept her with me so I didn't back out, like she was watchin' me or somethin' to make sure I'd go through with it."

"And, it sounds like you're sayin' they wanted Rick in particular. They sent you to lure Rick away, right?" Added Daryl.

"They said Rick Grimes, the law keeper. Get him out of the Settlement."

"They fuckin' knew his name?" Daryl queried, looking over at Rick who was now pacing back and forth.

"Yeah, that's what they said; _Rick Grimes._" Noah offered through tears.

"Get up." Rick commanded Noah.

The boy got to his feet slowly and looked directly into Rick's eyes; shifting his weight to the leg that had not been damaged during his 'escape'.

"I'm sorry." Was all he could say.

"Come on, we're goin' to where they were gonna ambush us."

"What? Why would you do that? They wanna kill you." Asked Noah.

"We'll go to the spot first and then head on back to the Settlement later." Said Rick.

"No, you may as well just shoot me now. If I can't save my baby brother, I don't deserve to live. I don't wanna live without him." Cried Noah.

"We ain't gonna kill you, Noah. In some fucked up way, I get it; I understand. You did it for family; we've all done worse kinds o' things. I'm gonna deal with those pricks who are waitin' for me to show up and then we're checkin' on my family. I wanna make sure they're alright, and then we're goin' after the rest of those fuckers. We'll get your brother back and kill every last one of 'em."

xXxXx

Rick and Daryl thought long and hard about why they would want Rick personally. Rick had made a few enemies over the years, but they were all long dead.

"It has to be someone from inside the Settlement." Daryl offered.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinkin' too." Replied Rick.

"How we gon' play it then, when we get back?" Asked Daryl.

"I dunno yet." Said Rick. "Either way, I'm puttin' a bullet in their head."

xXxXx

Rick, Daryl and Noah walked in silence as they quietly gained ground on where two of the Slavers were lying in wait for Rick to arrive. Just as Noah had said, the two men were sitting on the ground with their weapons behind a car that was blocking the small dirt road. Noah explained that he was to draw Rick up to where the car was obstructing the road and the men would then pretend to be trying to steal their car. They would get them to step out of the vehicle and then proceed to execute Rick.

The three of them held the higher ground and squatted down behind a series of bushes and trees. The two men on the road were exchanging quiet words and laughs as one checked the time on his wristwatch and the other glanced around the surrounding area. They did not see Rick, Daryl and Noah so the archer moved closer to get a better line of sight.

There was a high pitched whirring that cut through the air just before Daryl's arrow broke through the side of one of the men's skull. His lifeless body slouched over before his friend could fathom what was happening. The man stood and grabbed his rifle, looking around to see in which direction the arrow had come. The whirring heralded another deftly aimed arrow that penetrated his left thigh and caused him to grunt in pain as he dropped to his knee. He broke the arrow and pulled it from his leg, crying out in agony as he did so. Before he could stand and move to cover on the other side of the car, he felt the cold steel of a knife at his throat and a strong arm over his chest.

"Drop the fuckin' rifle." Rick said slowly as he pressed the blade of his knife into the man's skin.

The stranger obliged before speaking.

"What d'ya want, man? I ain't got much on me, but you can take it." He stammered.

"I don't want anything from you." Said Rick. "Just tell me who sent you."

"Shit." He said as realization swept over him. "You're our target?"

Rick neither confirmed nor denied who he was.

"Who sent you?" He repeated.

"I ain't tellin' you shit." Spat the young man.

Without warning, Rick took his knife and swiftly jabbed it into the man's right thigh.

"Fuck! What you do that for?" he cried out as he fell to the ground.

Rick was right behind him; he held him in place by the hair of his head with the knife back at his throat.

"I'll cut your fucking head off." Rick started. "Now tell me who sent you!"

"Okay, okay!" He said. "His name's Badger."

Rick used his elbow to strike a blow to the man's ribcage causing him to double over in pain.

"What the fuck kind o' name is that? Quit playin' with me and answer the damn question."

The man fought to catch his breath before he could answer.

"I swear, that's his nickname. His real name Barry Dursin; he's our leader. He sent us."

Rick thought for a moment, but did not recognize the name at all. He looked to where Daryl and Noah were still waiting and watching in case there was someone else with the two men. He whistled twice, signalling for Noah to step forward; the teenager did so and walked with his head down and one arm across his chest with his hand holding his elbow.

"You fuckin' little shit!" Said the man as he saw Noah approach. "What have you done? They gonna rip your brother apart 'cause o' this."

Rick kicked him in the side and caused him to roll onto his back. He drew his gun and aimed it at the man.

"Shut the fuck up!" Said Rick.

He then tilted his head to the side and asked Noah if he recognized the name. Noah did not, but then again, he explained that he had little contact with the higher echelon of the ranks of his captors. He was inspected physically by someone in charge when he and his brother first arrived at the compound, but no one called anyone else by name. The man on the ground before them, however, had abused Noah on several occasions.

"What about the girl?" Asked Rick. "What's she got to do with all o' this?"

"You're gonna kill me anyways, so why should I tell you anything else, uh?" Queried the man who was bleeding into the red dirt.

Rick used his boot to apply pressure and discomfort to the arrow wound; the man winced from the pain.

"Tell me and I'll make sure you don't die slowly. Otherwise, I'll break both your legs and leave you here for the walkers." Rick said so calmly that Noah and the man both felt a chilling sensation creep up their spines.

"Your woman and son..."

"What about 'em?" Rick said as he felt his stomach drop and the anger rise within him.

"They're the trade…"

"What do you mean _the trade_? Who set this up?" Rick spat.

"I don't know who did it on your end, but we was told to kill you and then whoever wants you dead traded your wife and kid as payment for the hit; the girl's gonna coax 'em away. That's all I know man, I swear. Now fuckin' put me down."

Rick saw red and kicked the side of the vehicle several times, eliciting loud bangs that were certain to attract walkers. In a moment of cold clarity, he looked to Noah who stood motionless with his eyes to the ground. Rick got Noah's attention and then tossed his revolver to the teenager. He then picked up the two rifles that the Slavers had and any ammunition he could see. Three walkers came from out of the tree line and slowly ambled in their direction.

"Hey, man! Don't leave me like this."

The man said as he tried to crawl away; Rick kicked him in the side again before he began to walk away from the scene. He turned to the teenager and spoke.

"Noah, this piece of shit hurt you so it's your call; kill him if you want to. I'll have my gun back when you're done."

Rick walked off to where Daryl was and expected to hear a gunshot; instead he heard Noah shuffling up behind him before the shrill screams of someone being torn apart by walkers echoed through the otherwise quiet countryside.

xXxXx

Michonne drank the last drops of water from her canteen and ambled in an unhurried manner back towards the rations store. She detested having to take frequent bathroom breaks on account of the baby growing inside of her placing pressure on her bladder; she reasoned that the amount of water she was drinking lately did not help the situation either. She replaced the cap on her canteen and then looked around the yard. She noticed Carl's friend, Jahnee, walking quickly with the newcomer, Cynthia. Michonne had thought it was odd seeing the two girls together because from what Carl had told her, they did not get on. Michonne had put it down to both girls having affections for the younger Grimes; she knew how teenage girls could be, so she found it strange for them to be together. Michonne shrugged and watched them head towards one of the buildings that was rarely used.

"Michonne?"

Called a familiar voice; she turned to see that it was Maggie and waited for her friend to catch up.

"Hey, what's up?" Michonne asked.

"Oh nothin' much." Started Maggie. "Just wanted you to know I'm goin' on a run tomorrow. Did you need anything?"

Michonne could not think of anything that she needed right away, but the two women took the time to catch up. Maggie enjoyed gossip and was filling Michonne in on what had been happening since she and Rick had moved into their new quarters.

After around ten minutes, the two friends went their separate ways to resume their duties. Michonne had almost reached the rations store when she saw Carl walking with the new girl in the same direction that she and Jahnee had not too long ago went in. Michonne decided that it, without a doubt, seemed odd for the youngsters to be away from their duties and attempting to look inconspicuous.

She undid the lock of the rations store with her key and popped her head around the door to inform Sara that she would be just a little longer.

"Everything alright?" Asked her friend.

"Yeah, I think so. Just noticed Carl playin' hooky around that building. Gonna move him along; he's already in the shit with Rick." Said Michonne as she pointed in the direction of where Carl and Cynthia went.

"Okay, I'll see you soon." Said Sara as Michonne smiled and walked off.

Just as she reached the corner of the building, Michonne was startled to run into Cynthia; the girl stopped in her tracks and appeared to be a little surprized.

"What's goin' on here?" Michonne asked.

The girl then appeared panicked.

"I was comin' to get an adult." She offered. "Carl and Jahnee are hurt."

"Where are they?" Queried Michonne as the dread washed over her.

xXxXx

Michonne froze as she stepped through the hole in the fence and saw what was happening; Carl was kneeling with his hands bound behind his back and a man held a gun to his head. Jahnee was unconscious and being bound by another man and Cynthia stood watching the scene unfold; Michonne instantly realized the teenage girl had something to do with what was happening. She reached instinctively for her katana, but had left it back at the store.

"What's goin' on here? Let them go!" Said Michonne as both of the men let out sarcastic laughs.

"Don't worry, sweetheart; you're all comin' with us."

In an instant, Michonne grabbed the box cutter from her pocket and lunged toward Cynthia; she got behind her and held the blade to the girl's throat.

"Let them go or I'll kill her!" Michonne demanded, noticing the girl did not resist.

The man who was tying up Jahnee stepped over the girl and moved towards Michonne and Cynthia.

"You don't wanna do that now." He said as he stepped closer. "She belongs to me and I don't care if we're not meant to…"

"Fuck ya, Jay. We ain't meant to hurt the woman or boy; they're payment, you know that." The other man said.

Michonne was listening to their exchange, and while it did not make sense, it seemed as if this was an abduction and she and Carl were not to be harmed in the process.

"What the fuck you want me to do? Let her kill Cynthia? Fuck that; I worked too hard for Badger to give her to me so I ain't lettin' this bitch waste her."

"What you think he gon' do to us if we come back without his payment? He'll waste the both o' y'all. Besides, there's plenty o' other girls there to choose from. Be cool, man."

"What do you want?" Asked Michonne? "You obviously can't do anything to us…"

"No, we can't do nothin' to y'all, but this little girl over here, we can carve her up if we wanted to; she ain't nothin' but a bonus." Said the one who held the gun to Carl as he motioned to Jahnee.

"No!" Yelled Carl. "Leave her alone!"

"Well ain't that sweet. Protectin' his little girlfriend." He mocked before continuing.

"Let's wrap this up. Either you gon' kill Cynthia or not, but we're still leavin' here either way. Now, drop the fuckin' blade, bitch; or see the girl, I'll fuck her in front o' y'all and then I'll cut her up. Your call."

Michonne looked at Carl's pleading eyes and then at the unconscious girl; she was Carl's friend and Peter's daughter. Michonne would do what she could to keep them all alive. She dropped the blade from Cynthia's throat and held her hands up; the other man quickly searched her for other weapons and then tied her hands behind her back; Michonne never took her eyes off of Carl and she was pushed towards him. The second man tied Cynthia's hands in front of her then scooped Jahnee over his shoulder before they walked in silence away from the Settlement.

"It'll be okay," Michonne whispered to Carl as dread welled in the pit of her stomach. "I promise."

* * *

A/N: What's your thoughts on this Badger guy? Bad dude? I think so. Now, let's not forget about the bad dudes _inside_ of the Settlement either!

Thanks for reading!

More to come!


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: I actually thought I had better update this one before they air the next TWD episode because all the Richonne goodness in the previous one had me stuck; I couldn't focus on updating or anything, so best to get this one out of the way. We get to see some insight into John and Badger and find out what happened to Michonne, Carl, Jahnee and Cynthia.

cakebythepound: Ash! Where have you been? I missed your reviews. You do really flatter me, as always. Bad ass updater, yeah I'll own it lol

kimyso: it's interesting you say you hope they get Cynthia out as well as the others. I make no judgement on her (and will not spoil anything), so long as we understand how she could have done what she has done. She is still a victim too. We haven't seen her background story, so we just don't know.

BabyKay47: John is too clever and manipulative to just go after Rick on a whim. That is why he is the leader of the Settlement; he will exact his revenge, but he will do it in a smart way. I explain it further in this chapter. I can't say much about Cynthia's punishment (if any) because we still don't know if anyone is going to die from her actions, and I am not above killing characters off!

ezillyamused: Hehe thank you for your fangirling praise! I do aim to please. Noah's situation is so unfortunate, and I'm pleased that readers have understood his motivations. Yes, Michonne is vulnerable in her state, but you are right in saying she is very intelligent as well.

KyannaLashae: I think you might feel a little better after this chapter (I hope)!

KK: Ha! I was exhausted after I wrote that last one. Cynthia is an emotional void; I'm glad you pointed that out. Is there any hope for her? I guess we'll see. Thanks for the compliment on the scene of the would-be ambush. I like the sound of an arrow whirring through the air and I'm happy that I was able to bring it to life for you.

Midnights-AM-Child: Oh yeah, what you say about Negan is true; everything else but rape. Sad thing is, in real life rape has been used in warfare for longer than has been documented. There have been some atrocious, unspeakable things that have happened. I'm a history teacher and one of the Units I taught was World War II and some of the things that happened (Nanking Massacre) we couldn't even cover because of the graphic and horrific things that happened with the Japanese soldiers using rape. Even with recent wars like Kosovo, Iraq and in the Congo. The things people get away with when there's no order is terrifying. Anyways, the subtext with the guy who didn't want Cynthia to die saw her as his property and property is status within their group. Oh and you are exactly right in saying Michonne will not take captivity like a captive!

CodeName.M.e: Aww I don't want to give too much a way, but yeah, looks like it's gonna get worse…at least for a while. Maybe lol

focusedOnProsperity: So glad you liked how I wrote Rick 'no fucks given' Grimes!

Creekgal02: Yeah! The full Michonne experience. Hey, this story arc isn't finished yet so I'll see what I can do!

Alex311: I have to apologise to your racing heart right now because, while this starts off a little slow, it's sure to speed up again…

Warning: implied non-con

* * *

_Several months ago_

The early morning sky was just beginning to change color as the sun reared its head slowly and with certainty. A man stood near the school buildings that were farthest from where the majority of residents lived and worked in the Settlement. He reached into the top pocket of his shirt and retrieved a cigarette and placed it in his mouth; from his trousers, he took out a lighter and lit it up. He cracked his knuckled a couple of times, took the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled forcefully so that smoke wafted around his head. He heard the sound of an engine approaching and turned his gaze to see the silver sedan driving cautiously towards him with the headlights on low; the car came to a halt in front of the man, he opened the door and got into the back seat. The car edged closer to the gate and was let out by the individual who was on sentry duty. The guard watched as the red taillights disappeared down the road.

* * *

The man that was known as Badger sat in the front seat of his van; he was an unassuming looking man in his early forties. Average height and build with beady eyes and a bald spot in his greying dark hair. He looked almost innocent at first glance, but if you stared into his eyes long enough, you could see that they were as hollow as his conscience.

Two other men from his group of Slavers stood outside of the vehicle with rifles placed over their shoulders. Badger looked down at his left hand and inspected his fingernails; they were unclean with the filth of dirt and blood and traces of human skin. Not his own skin, of course, but that of some unfortunate innocent that he had defiled and tortured. He smiled to himself and let out a smug chortle before reaching for his hunting knife which he then used to clean under his nails.

He placed the knife back onto the dashboard of the van when he saw the silver sedan approaching the secluded area near an abandoned ranger's station. He then joined his two men on the outside and waited for the occupants of the other vehicle to exit it and make their way over.

"Well, damn it, man. We thought y'all fuckers weren't comin'." Said one of the men as the older man walked up and shook Badger's hand.

Badger stopped his greeting and glanced sideways at his man who had just spoken.

"Randy, let me see your gun right quick." Badger said with his hand outstretched.

The one known as Randy passed it over to his leader and wore a look of confusion. Suddenly, Badger took the rifle and slammed the butt of it into Randy's stomach, causing the skinny man to double over in pain before falling to the ground.

"Did I say you could speak, asshole?" Badger asked sternly.

Randy shook his head as if to say no.

"Sorry, Boss. I didn…"

His apology was cut short when Badger kicked him in the stomach, eliciting a pained grunt to escape his mouth.

"Shut the fuck up! I still didn't say you could talk." Badger spat as he let the rifle fall near the man. "Now take this gun before I bend you over and shove it up your narrow fuckin' ass."

With that he placed his hand on the shoulder of his acquaintance and ushered him inside.

"Sorry about that, John." Said Badger. "If you don't remind 'em who owns their ass, they think they can do or say anything."

The two men laughed loudly and proceeded to enter the building. Inside was a table and two chairs, some other office furniture and a dirty mattress. The Slavers often used the station as a place to stay when they were out on a long hunt. It was also used for meetings with other groups; it is where Badger made deals with others and traded in human slavery. John and a few select guards were privy to the whereabouts of the meeting place, although the guards did not know who John was meeting with nor the nature of the meetings. Sometimes, Badger would have a young woman bound inside waiting for John to do to her whatever it was that he felt like.

An accord was held in place that ensured that the Settlement was not attacked by the Slavers and that the Council and their Law Keepers did not raise arms against Badger's marauders, since the Settlement had the means and weapons to disrupt their pillaging and cause them real damage. In exchange, John offered up a couple of women from the camp every few months. Mainly young survivors who had shown up seeking sanctuary, John had them secreted away to one of the buildings in the town and traded them later on. He often went as far as setting people up so that they were to be banished and delivered to Badger. John's little empire stayed safe and the Slavers received a steady supply of new victims.

His meeting that day was to arrange to have a plan set in motion to have Rick Grimes killed so that he could get rid of Michonne and Carl in revenge for his son's death. They needed to devise an elaborate scheme because Rick and his people were battle tested and smart. It would not be easy to lure Rick away and kill him; they would need to make him _choose_ to leave the confines of the Settlement. Rick would only do that if he were duty bound.

* * *

_Presently…_

The car screeched to a halt and Rick flung the door open quickly as he exited and sprinted towards the rations store to check on Michonne and let her know what had happened. Daryl and Noah went to find Cynthia. Rick knocked frantically until Sara answered the door.

"Oh, hi Rick." Said the young woman.

"I needed a word with Michonne."

Rick said without greeting her back; he did not have time for pleasantries. There was someone in the Settlement who wanted him dead and he had a fair idea who it was. Right now, he just needed to get his family to safety, round up reinforcements and deal with the Slavers and the traitor.

"Rick, she left about an hour ago to look for Carl. She ain't been back yet." Sara said, her eyes growing wide with concern. "I thought she might've been feelin' a little tired like yesterday."

Rick felt panic rise up from within himself.

"Which way did she go and why was she lookin' for Carl?" He asked, the intensity in his eyes caused the young woman to feel slightly nervous.

"She said Carl was playin' hooky. She went off near those buildings that we don't use. Is everything okay?" Michonne's friend asked as Rick shook his head and hurried off in the direction of the buildings Sara had spoken of.

Just as he rounded the corner, Noah and Daryl came back without the girl.

"Where is she?" Rick asked.

"Ain't no one seen her since before. One kid said she was gone with Peter's girl but they ain't seen either of 'em after that." Said Daryl.

"Fuck! Come on!" Said Rick as the three of them rushed off to find where they could be.

As they neared where the fence was cut, Rick drew his Colt and Daryl held up his crossbow. They noticed the hole in the wire and then stepped through; Rick told Noah to stay inside the grounds of the Settlement in case there were walkers wandering around.

"Look, here." Daryl pointed to the ground at the tracks. "People came through here. Someone was on the ground here and there's blood, and someone else was kneelin' here."

Rick put his gun back in his holster and placed both hands to the back of his head and started to pace.

"Fuck! Is it them? Can you tell?"

"I dunno man. The smaller tracks could be kids. I'd say two girls from the style and tread. A woman's here and two, maybe three men over here."

"They took 'em?" He asked to which Daryl nodded in response.

"Daryl, can you track these and see how far they went, Noah, go find Peter. I'm gonna go get the others." Said Rick.

Noah raced off to find the other Law Keeper and Daryl followed the tracks.

* * *

"You can't take that van. That's for supply runs, Peter. You know that." Said one of the guards to Peter.

"Listen, Bud, I ain't got time for this; my little girl is missin' and our people are in danger, so you best get the fuck out my face." Said Peter as he shoved the man in the chest.

"I'm gonna have to tell the Council."

Said Bud just as Rick approached with the bag full of weapons and ammunition from the Law Keepers' Office. Before Peter could convince Bud otherwise, Rick grabbed the man and threw him up against the wall.

"You're gonna keep your fuckin' mouth shut or I'll shut you up for good. You hear me?" Said Rick as he pressed his revolver to the man's head. "Now take off your shirt."

Bud looked frightful and confused at first, but eventually did as he was told and Rick tossed the shirt to Peter.

"Let's tie and gag him until we get back." Said Rick and his friend proceeded to make ligatures from the torn shirt.

They left Bud bound and hidden and then took the van to the back entrance where Daryl and the others were waiting. They would leave immediately and hope that they reached the farmhouse of the Slavers before time had run out.

The two vehicles left the Settlement and headed in the direction that Daryl had tracked and where Noah had said they came from. Tyreese, Glenn and Maggie were in the car with Daryl and Noah; that vehicle was in front of the van which Peter drove carrying Rick, Bob and Abraham. Carol, Sasha and the others stayed behind in case it took them too long to return. They used radios to communicate between the two vehicles and decided that they would find the farm, perform reconnaissance and then sneak in after darkness fell.

Rick tried to focus his rage and run the scenario that they had planned through his head again and again. His mind was already betraying him as he fought to block thoughts and visions of Michonne and Carl being tied up and led away with guns pointed to their heads. He wondered whose blood was on the ground. He wondered if they were still alive; they _had_ to be still alive, he could not afford to think otherwise. He thought about the things that Noah had told him about those men; the way that they victimized others. He felt sick to his stomach at the thought of Michonne and Carl being hurt in that manner. Rick squinted and rubbed the back of his thumb over his brow in an attempt to ease the throbbing that had set in.

They reached the spot where Rick was meant to be set up for an ambush and drove slowly past the car that blocked the road; when Rick looked to where the two would-be assassins were left, he saw their torn apart remains and the bloodstained ground. He returned his eyes to the car in front of him and picked up the radio.

"Ask Noah how far now." Rick said to Maggie.

"He said follow this road for another twenty minutes or so, then we're gonna have to walk the rest of the way." She answered after a moment.

"Copy that." Rick replied

* * *

"Jahnee? Sweetie? It's me, Michonne. Jahnee?"

The teenager felt a terrible pain in her head as she heard the hazy words of a familiar voice. She blinked quickly a few times and realized that she was on her side on the floor in a room…_no_, they were moving. It had to be a van. She let her eyes focus and saw that Michonne and Carl were with her too.

"What's happening?" She asked.

"Shhh, sweetie, you have to stay quiet. We've been taken…"

Jahnee's eyes filled with tears at that moment as terror washed over her.

"It's gonna be okay. I won't let anyone hurt you."

Said Carl and the Jahnee realized there was someone behind her. It was Cynthia who was restrained like they were and listening to their conversation.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you." Cynthia said sardonically.

Jahnee wore a stricken expression while her tears ran from her eyes as she tried to shift so that she could see who was speaking, but Carl spoke to her again.

"Jahnee, hey it's okay, it's okay." He said soothingly. "You're gonna be fine. I'm here, okay? Don't listen to her, you just keep lookin' at me."

* * *

A/N: That, my dear readers, was a lot to get through. So, the cavalry is on the way led by Rick and Daryl. But I wonder who is going to save the day? Carl has learned a lot from his father and the others and is being extremely mature even though he has no idea what they're up against; Michonne is an actual lioness who will tear anyone apart who threatens her cubs and then there's Rick. Bad ass motherfuckin' Rick Grimes Lol This instalment was fun to write, but the next one is gonna be an absolute ripper! Thanks for reading :)


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: Sorry this update has been a long time coming, it was difficult to write, but must be told. It isn't graphic, but there could be some triggers for abuse, so please heed my caution.

I just wanted to do a quick shout out to those wonderful readers who have taken the time to review:

Guest; Vivvy1; oddkatout; PiperBlue; CodeName-M.e; ezillyamused; KK; KyannaLashae; literaturechick; Alex311; cakebythepound; castlefan83; jane; kimyso; BabyKay47; Amrcncpprhd; Midnights-AM-Child; focusedOnProsperity; Creekgal02; HermioneSnape4eva; mysterion0.o! Thank you! I love hearing from you all.

To those who have hit the follow or fave button, thank you; and to those who read each update silently, thank you too! You are all appreciated!

Warning: implied violence and non-consensual sex against women and minors.

* * *

Michonne did not realize how long they had been in the back of the van, but they were now out of said van and blindfolded. They were forced to walk a short distance before being stopped; she heard the sound of a chain being rattled and the squeaky hinges of a door being opened. They were ushered inside of a structure. From the faint, lingering smell of hay and animal manure, she surmised they were to be kept in a barn. She remained relatively calm as she was made to sit on the ground, knowing that they were not going to be killed if they were being placed somewhere that was locked; at least not right away.

_They wouldn't have wasted their time and energy on moving us if they were just gonna kill us outright._

She thought as she heard movement near her; she did not speak, but hoped it was Carl and Jahnee. The flick of a switchblade caused Michonne to stiffen and sit up straight; she then felt someone grip her wrist tightly and cut the ties that bound her.

"Don't fuckin' move." Said an unfamiliar voice. "Y'all just wait until you hear the door closin', you hear me?"

Michonne made her breathing become quiet as she listened to the faint sobbing sounds coming from Jahnee; she did not hear Carl at all. Her throat became dry and her heart race quickened as panic set in.

_Carl,_ she thought; _where are you?_

Just then, the sound of the door closing caused Michonne to hold her breath completely. When she heard the chain being dropped against the wooden panels, she hastily ripped her blindfold from her eyes and searched the immediate area. Carl had done the same thing, and their gazes met. Michonne relinquished the breath she had held, stood and moved towards Carl; she drew him into a tight embrace before he let her go.

"Jahnee," said Carl. "Are you okay?"

The girl was still seated on the ground with her eyes covered; she was shaken from the ordeal and her small sobs would not stop. Carl walked over to his friend and sat down next to her. He reached for her hand and slowly removed the blindfold from her face.

"It's okay." He said softly before she could bring her eyes to look at him. "We're gonna be okay."

* * *

The two men sat at the kitchen table of the farmhouse while a teenaged girl mopped the wooden floor around then; they did not move their feet for her.

"You're back quicker than I expected." Said Badger as he lit his cigarette and blew the smoke towards the girl; it stung her eyes and throat.

"Yes, sir. We had to floor it. Ran into a little trouble." He said, pouring some whiskey into a glass.

"What kind o' trouble?" Badger asked, motioning for the man to go about filling his glass.

"Well for starters, instead of just that cop's kid, Cynthia coaxed a girl as well. Then that fuckin' bitch showed up…"

"Who? The one you were meant to grab next?"

"Yeah that one. Cynthia was meant to coax the Grimes kid away, we were s'posed to grab him and then Cynthia was meant to tell the woman he was missin', but somehow she saw us…"

The cleaning girl bumped the table with her mop and Badger exhaled loudly as his beverage rattled and threatened to tip over; his companion stood and walked over to the girl. He grabbed her by the ponytail and pulled her head back violently. The abrupt motion caused the mop to fall out of her hands and bounce off the hardwood floor.

"Bitch, watch what the fuck you doin'!" He screamed as he forcefully pushed her head with his hand, causing her to stumble.

"Don't make me take this belt to ya, you stupid fuckin' whore!" He said loudly as he placed his hand to his belt buckle.

Badger watched on and let a grin play on his features; while he did not mind a good show, they had pressing matters at hand.

"Enough! Sort her out later. Now. The woman back at the Settlement, was she the only one who saw you?" Badger asked, growing annoyed as he realized that they had not followed the plan properly.

"Yep. No one else saw us."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, Boss."

"So, what did you do with 'em all?"

"Brought 'em all back here."

"I'm sorry?" Said Badger, wondering if he had heard correctly.

"We brought 'em all back. The boy, the girl and the samurai bitch."

"Well fuck me sideways, an extra mouth to feed." He said growing tired of his men bringing back more people than they could accommodate.

"Jesus, asshole; times are tough, ya know. Fuck it. The girl, is she a keeper?" Badger asked.

"She's good lookin'. I'm thinkin' she might be a virgin, unless her and that boy is fuckin'. I'll find out later…"

"No, no. Leave her untouched. If we have to trade her, we can get more for a virgin." Offered Badger, deep in thought.

"Well can I at least fuck her mouth?" He asked with a smirk.

"You really are distasteful little shit, Roger. But I guess so."

The man smiled crookedly.

"You know, if her and the boy are fuckin', we could have 'em fool around together like we did with some o' the others; you know how many fuckers will wanna watch that."

"Are they young enough though? Our associates will only trade if they get to watch kids, you know that." Said Badger.

"They don't look a day over fourteen. Our friends are gonna love 'em." Roger said with a grin. "I'll try 'em out tonight. See if I can convince 'em by threatening the woman."

"Yes. Now, the samurai woman, did you get her sword?" Asked Badger.

"No, the bitch didn't have it on her when she stumbled up on us, thankfully. John said she was just as dangerous as her man." Roger answered.

"That's unfortunate." Said Badger. "I was plannin' on using it on her to have a little fun. Nevertheless, I'm sure we'll figure somethin' out."

"Oh yeah, John forgot to tell us what they would call an importance piece of information." Said Roger.

"Really? And what's that?"

"She's pregnant."

"Interesting isn't it? I already knew." Said Badger "I'm actually quite happy with this new acquisition. We haven't had a baby 'round here for ages."

* * *

Rick and the others used binoculars to get a better look at the farm; there were men on sentry duty at each corner of the inner wall and at the main and inner gates, as well as a number of armed men in the outer areas. They could see no way of approaching in the daylight.

Rick was growing increasingly agitated knowing that Michonne and Carl were inside and Peter was ready to walk right up to the gates for Jahnee. Someone had to come up with a plan and fast. Maggie spoke up.

"What if we sent Noah in?" She asked.

"No way, we ain't handin' him back over to them." Said Daryl.

"No, not like that," Maggie continued. "What if we sent him over to say that their men got ambushed?"

"They did get ambushed; we killed 'em, remember?" Daryl added.

"You're not listenin' to what I'm sayin'. They don't know their men are dead, I mean yeah, they might've passed 'em back up the road, but that could've been anyone from what we saw. What if we sent Noah in to ask 'em to trade back Michonne and the kids for their people?" Maggie asked, looking from Rick to Peter to Noah.

"I'll do it." Noah said, nodding to Rick. "I can do it. They think I'm scrawny. They think I'm weak. But they don't know shit about me."

"But if they get wise to us bullshittin' 'em, they'll kill you." Daryl interjected.

"I can do it." The teenager answered.

Rick thought for a second and then glanced to Peter. He wished Michonne was there to help him come to some decision, but she was not; she was locked away somewhere by animals playing at being men.

"Peter, what do you think?" Asked Rick.

"If Noah wants to, then that's what we'll do." Came Peter's reply.

"Okay then," said a determined Rick. "Let's do this."

* * *

Michonne's head was bleeding from where she had been hit with the butt of the revolver that Roger had. Her memory was slightly fuzzy as she came to, but then she remembered that the man had come and taken Carl and Jahnee. She fought him until he incapacitated her with the blunt end of his gun. When she sat up and looked around, there were two other women in there and two small boys. They looked as afraid and confused as Michonne was.

"The boy and the girl." She started. "The two who were with me. Where did they take them?"

The blonde woman spoke up.

"They took 'em to the farmhouse." She said quietly, afraid that someone might hear her.

"Why? What do they want with them?" Michonne said as she pressed her hand to her wound while flinching.

"Nothing good. Nothing good comes from bein' here."

* * *

Jahnee held tightly on to Carl's hand as they made their way up to the large house; they were informed that they were to go into one of the rooms and wait for instructions. She kept her eyes to the ground while Carl discreetly assessed their surroundings. There were armed men at the inner gates, but not many on the inside of the walls. This was obviously a well-protected part of the farm that was secure enough to have captives walking around with minimal security. Carl took note of all of the windows and doors; none of the windows had bars or were locked from the outside. He reasoned that people did not try to escape from the inner yard or the main house, and he cringed when he tried to think why that would be.

They were led up stairs to a bedroom and made to sit down on a bed. Jahnee kept her gaze to the floor but Carl noticed it was a child's bedroom; a little girl's room.

"Wait here," started Roger. "Someone's gonna bring y'all a change o' clothes. Be good now, or I'll go back and empty this gun into that pregnant bitch after I cut the bastard kid from outta her. Understand me?"

Carl glared at him and fought the urge to lunge towards the man; instead, he let go of Jahnee's hand and placed it comfortingly to her back.

"Glad y'all are so cozy together, gonna get even more cozy when I come back, that's for damn sure." Roger said with derision as he exited the room and the girl who was mopping the floor earlier entered.

Carl tried to get Jahnee to look at him as the girl brought the clothes over and sat them on the rocking chair near the bed; they resembled children's clothing.

"Carl?" The girl asked as the boy looked up confused at the familiar voice.

"I thought it was you. When they were talkin' about y'all earlier. I knew it was you." She whispered as he looked on in surprise.

"Here, take these." She said as Carl looked from her face to her hand. "Quickly, hide 'em."

"Beth?" Carl asked in shock as he took the pair of scissors from her.


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: Well, not much to say except it's time for the reckoning!

Oh, and someone asked where I got the name 'Jahnee' from (thanks for the interest in her as well); firstly, I suck at naming characters! My BFF is a huge fan of TV's Sleepy Hollow and said the actress who played young Abbie Mills (who is amazing BTW) in season one is named Jahnee Wallace and I should name my OC Jahnee. So yeah, that's where I got the name from *waves at any Abbie Mills fans reading*

Warning: violence and non-con

* * *

The afternoon sun had hastily begun its decline as the sky changed from blue to a mixture of orange and purple; the two men at the gates of the farm sat on two deck chairs swapping stories and stale cigarettes. The one to the right picked up the binoculars that hung carelessly around his neck and pressed them to his eyes. In the distance, obscured by the striking rays of the twilight, were two figures that approached on foot.

* * *

Michonne stripped the loose but jagged pieces of wood away from the inside wall of the barn; the two women and children looked on as she used the piece of fabric that was her, Carl and Jahnee's blindfolds as leverage to rip the spikes out of place. She tried to do it as quietly as possible so as not to draw the attention of any passers-by.

"What are you doin'?"Asked one of the women.

"I'm getting out of here." Michonne said in a matter of fact manner.

"No one gets outta here," said the blonde woman.

"Oh yeah?" Replied Michonne. "Watch me."

* * *

Carl placed the pair of scissors in his jeans at the small of his back and looked frantically at Beth.

"We don't have much time," she said. "But you fight him off, you hear me? Don't let him touch you. Pick your time, use the scissors and you make it count, Carl. These windows don't lock, so you get the hell outta here when it's done. Don't wait for me; take your friend and go!"

Carl nodded as Beth placed a reassuring hand to his shoulder and squeezed gently.

"Hey, what's your name?" Beth asked Jahnee quickly.

The girl answered softly, "It's Jahnee."

"Well Jahnee, you follow Carl's lead. It's gonna be okay."

Jahnee seemed calmer as she tried to return Beth's smile. Suddenly, there was the sound of a key turning in the lock and the door flung open. Beth stood with her head down near the chair and waited for Roger to dismiss her. He watched her leave and then locked the door again, placing the key in the back pocket of his jeans.

"Okay kiddies, time to get changed before the party starts."

Roger said as he took the clothing that Beth had left on the chair and tossed it at the teenagers; one of the garments slapped Carl in the face causing him to flinch. He took the chair and sat it in the middle of the room and placed his revolver on his right leg, pointed in their direction.

"Go on, lil' girl. Take off your clothes now." Roger said as he watched Jahnee.

She lifted her head and looked at him.

"No."

Was her reply as she mustered a new found courage from deep inside of herself, wiping away a tear from her cheek.

"What the fuck you say? No? Listen here you black bitch, you will take them fuckin' clothes off or I'll…"

"NO!"

Jahnee said, loudly this time, causing Roger to stand and walk towards them; he lifted his gun and pointed it at Carl's head.

"Do it or your lil' boyfriend gets one between the eyes." He threatened.

Jahnee froze a moment as she looked at Carl who was just as still as she was.

"Okay, okay. I'll do it. Just don't hurt him." She said as she stood. "Don't point your gun at him, I'll do it, I'll get changed. Just put the gun away."

Roger smirked and then placed his weapon at the small of his back. He stepped backwards and watched as Jahnee gripped the hem of her top and lifted it, exposing her abdomen. Carl then moved to stop her.

"Don't," he said, standing in front of Jahnee as Roger lunged forward.

"I've had enough of this shit, now fuckin' move!"

He said as he punched Carl in the face and flung him across the room where he hit the wall and slid down to the floor. Roger then grabbed Jahnee and pushed her backwards onto the bed. She struggled to fight him off, and then he slapped her face hard. Jahnee continued to claw at Roger's arms as he began to undo her zipper and then forced her trousers down while fumbling with his own belt buckle. Jahnee was still scratching Roger and kicking as he all of a sudden stopped what he was doing at the sound of his own revolver being cocked while Carl held the weapon to him.

"You ain't gonna do it, kid. Don't have it in you." Roger said as he straightened his posture and turned towards Carl.

"Fuck you!" Spat Carl. "I've killed better people than you, you fucking piece of shit!"

"You'll never get out of here." Said Roger as he tried to inch towards the boy.

"Yeah, well neither will you." Carl retorted. "Now get on your knees."

Roger laughed.

"You got some balls on you, kid." He said as he did what he was told. "I'm gonna personally fuck you up in a minute."

"Funny. I was thinkin' the same about you." Said Carl with the same steely look in his eyes that his father had.

Jahnee, still shaken by the ordeal, fixed her clothing and got up off of the bed. She moved to stand next to Carl and reached her hand to where the scissors were hidden, tucked into the back of his jeans. Carl wanted to look at her and ask what she was doing, but did not want to take his eyes off of Roger. He watched on as Jahnee, strange in her calmness, walked towards their captor and drove the scissors into his neck.

Roger fell to the floor as he tried to remove the object that had pierced his jugular veins; blood spilled from the wound and Jahnee stepped back. Her hands were shaking as she moved next to Carl again. Before Roger could attempt to scream for help, Carl moved towards him and used the butt of his own revolver to bash in his skull. Roger's body was overcome by a violent spasm before he stopped moving all together. Carl wiped the blood, skull fragments and brain matter from the gun on the dead man's clothing.

Carl looked at his friend to see that she was alright and then glanced around the room; he rushed over to the window and opened it.

"Don't step in the blood." He told Jahnee as he gripped her hand and cleaned Roger's blood from it with his shirt.

* * *

"You seein' this?" said the man with the binoculars as he passed them to his companion.

"Yeah, you think it's Jared and Ivan? They been gone a long time now. Maybe somethin' happened to their ride," offered the second man. "Guess we'll find out soon enough."

The two people were inside of their outer fence and had made it past the few seasonal workers' huts. It was not a difficult feat as they allowed small groups of people to get close before they ambushed them. The men watched on as the sun fell lower and the 'pet' they knew as Noah came closer, standing behind someone who seemed to have had their hands bound behind their backs and their head covered with a t-shirt.

"What the fuck's goin' on, boy?" Asked one of the men as Noah and the other person got closer; they could see Noah had a captive with him; Badger would be impressed at how much the boy had changed. How much he was becoming like them.

"Jared got bit, Ivan got killed; but not before they caught the target and tied him up," said Noah.

"I brought him back." He added as he removed the covering to reveal Rick Grimes glaring at them.

"So this is the big shot they went after? He don't look so tough. Why didn't you kill him, boy?" one of the men asked of Noah.

The teenager shrugged his shoulders while the two men smirked and looked at one another, relishing in the fact that they would take the target from Noah and claim the praise for themselves. Badger would reward them heftily for rectifying Jared and Ivan's mistake. Rick took this opportunity to make his move. While the guards were busy basking in their arrogance he decided to act. Rick's hands were not bound, but only placed behind his back as a subterfuge. He swiftly brought them to the front, aimed two silenced pistols at the guards and shot them once respectively through the head. As their bodies slumped to the ground, Rick and Noah hastily propped the limp bodies up into the chairs, removed their weapons and keys and signalled with their flashlight for the others to make their way over from incapacitating anyone in the huts.

* * *

"What's your name?" asked the brunette woman as she approached Michonne and was given a short answer.

"I'm Tanya. How are you planning on getting out of here?"

She seemed intrigued by Michonne. None of the others had tried to escape after hearing about the torture that befell those who were caught. If you had children to look after as well, it made getting away seem like some kind of unattainable dream.

"Like I always do; fight my way through the shit. If you're gonna help, then help; if not, just stay out of my way."

* * *

A loud banging echoed at the bedroom door followed by a moment of silence then the sound of a key being inserted into a lock. As the middle aged man and a younger man entered the room, they noticed Roger on the floor, lifeless in a darkened pool of his own blood. The older man rushed forward to check his vital signs and realized it was a pointless exercise; Roger's skull had been caved in so severely that his brain was showing through the fractured pieces of bone.

After wiping his mouth and forcing back the urge to vomit, the older man looked around the room for the youngsters whom he knew Roger had in there around twenty minutes earlier. He and his younger companion had come with the intention of catching a 'show', but were now greeted with Roger's demise and the 'players' in the show had vanished. He went straight to the wardrobe and opened it; there was no one inside. He reasoned the children would not be so stupid as to stay in the room. Then he noticed that the window was opened and there were bloodstained prints on the glass and the wooden panes.

"Lil' fuckers! Ain't gonna get away from us that easy," he said to the younger man. "Don't tell anyone what happened just yet. We'll go find 'em and then bring 'em back before we tell the Boss about Roger."

"Where do we look?" Asked the younger of the two.

"Check the perimeter first. They can't have gotten too far. We're light on men out tonight 'cause o' that run, but if one o' the others catches 'em before we do, we'll just give 'em five minutes with the girl to keep their trap shut."

With that the two exited the room. Carl and Jahnee let out the breath that they were holding when they heard the door lock once more. They waited under the bed for a painstaking ten minutes longer before Carl said that they should move. He realized that the one they called Badger was not going to be pleased that one of his men had died and that his captives had escaped; he also realized that these lackeys were not too fond of displeasing their 'Boss'. Carl was counting on this so that he and Jahnee could make an escape without the rest of the camp being alerted.

He helped his friend to her feet and told her not to look at the body on the floor.

"Climb out of the window and wait for me," Carl instructed and Jahnee did so.

Carl looked around the room for anything they could use to assist them and moved towards Roger's body; he plucked the scissors from his neck and placed them in his pocket. He checked the wardrobe and found a kerosene lamp, matches and a flashlight. He checked and quickly secured the working flashlight in his other pocket then grabbed the lamp and matches.

By the time Carl made his way to the window and climbed out, Jahnee was sitting down on the roof looking shaken.

"You okay," he asked softly.

She looked up at him and nodded.

"Just stay close to me. We're gonna get outta here. I promise. Now stay low and move to the corner of the roof." He said before turning to look back inside the window.

Jahnee did as she was told and waited for Carl; she was afraid but being there with him made her feel safer. He certainly had more experience than she did with survival. She watched on as Carl removed the cap of the lamp and poured the kerosene into the window on the floor and splashed some more of it onto the lace curtains. He struck several matches and tossed them in directly after. Suddenly, there was the glowing of flames from the floor racing up the curtains. Carl moved away swiftly and was beside Jahnee in a matter of seconds. They shimmied down a drainpipe and when on the ground, Carl handed Jahnee the scissors and flashlight as they peeked around the corner of the building.

The fire above them was alight and catching quickly as the pair moved away from the building and headed back towards the barn where they had left Michonne. They ran to a tank on a tall stand and Carl glanced back to the farmhouse. He smiled when he saw the flames engulfing the bedroom and spreading violently out of the small window.


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: Thanks, dear readers! And hello to those who have just started reading this! Sorry for the wait.

Responses (bear with me, there's a lot to respond to, which is great):

Itscalledkarma: I think Carl will be an awesome leader and Jahnee is on her way to gaining some much needed survival skills.

Guest: Sorry, you misunderstood me. My friend was talking about the _teenage _Abbie (in the flashbacks) being played by a young actress named Jahnee Wallace.

HermioneSnape4eva: I don't want Jahnee to be helpless; her friendship with Carl will help her to be a stronger survivor. She can learn a lot from him.

snuggy29: Ha! Yes! I always thought Carl was a carbon copy of Rick in many ways.

Midnights-AM-Child: Hehe Carl's awesome! He and Jahnee got through that ordeal superbly. Carl's such a quick thinker (I imagine he'd be like, "what would my dad do?"). And Roger was so scummy.

castlefan83: Haha I think you're gonna enjoy this…

kimyso: Sorry for making you wait!

Kam: I was so stoked that Sleepy Hollow was renewed and I'm with you, S2 was dismal lol Now, as for Rick and Michonne being reunited…

Severelybabykryptonite: Ah, yeah. The sex scene in the rations store hehe that was fun to write (it's chapter 6 of Onward From Here); so glad you liked it!

Love'Joy1990: Thank you! You flatter me. I would love to write for the show, what a dream that would be. I promise, we'd have canon Richonne if I was on the staff hehe

Ezillyamused: Aww thanks! I'm giggling at your finger slip hehehe I think you'll be pleased with the part Michonne plays in this chapter…

Soul93: Michonne is amazing; she's gonna be focussed on staying alive no matter what is thrown at them…

Alex311: Carl's such a great kid. He's got the skills and knowledge to stay alive.

KyannaLashae: I'm loving all of the comparisons of Carl to Rick.

Creekgal02: Oh yes, Carl's definitely channelling Rick!

Ashencharlie: Wow! Welcome to the craziness of that is this fic! You're a champ for getting caught up in one sitting!

RickMichonne: Thank you for the compliment! And I love that you read all the chapters in one go instead of working lol that's awesome!

* * *

Please note there's a lot happening simultaneously in this update at the start as we see where everyone is situated and what they're doing. I've tried to make it as easy to follow as possible, but forgive me if it seems convoluted at times (in saying that, I have faith that you, dear readers, will be able to follow it because you're a clever, clever bunch of people). Okay, I'm shutting up now.

* * *

Michonne, Tanya and the small boy Briley made their way out of the barn after getting the attention of one of their captors and taking him out. Michonne waited for him to walk into the barn before she struck him from behind with one of the sharpened pieces of wood she had been concealing. They exited the building to find a wild scene of people rushing about trying to save the farmhouse. Michonne noticed several vehicles parked around the yard but did not want to risk moving towards them just yet. Instead, she told the woman and child to stay bent over close to the ground and follow her towards the gate. Once they realized it was locked, Michonne gestured for them to climb into the backseat of the car closest to the gate and to stay low. Just as she did this, she saw, in the light of the blazing fire, Carl and Jahnee making their way into the barn.

"Wait here and take this." She told Tanya and the boy as she handed over one of the pieces of jagged wood she was using as a weapon.

"Why? Where are you going?" Tanya asked, looking visibly shaken.

"I have to go get my boy. Just wait here and stay down. I won't be long."

With that, she stealthily headed in the direction of the barn.

* * *

Rick and Peter entered the gates first and took point; they shot dead two men who were standing near one of the vehicles. They then noticed the reason why there was no one on sentry duty at the corners of the fence; there was a raging fire in the top floor of the main house and men were frantically trying to put it out with buckets of water and a hose that was connected to the water tank.

The others followed behind Rick and Peter and Glenn pointed at the barn that was standing tall in the darkness of the evening. If they were going to find their people, it would be there.

"Get in and out quickly; see if you can find 'em. Don't open fire on these assholes until we know our people are safe. We'll get rid of the loiterers." Peter said as Rick nodded.

Noah and Glenn made their way towards the structure while the others advanced on the distracted men and took down as many as they could as quietly as possible using silenced weapons. Glenn pulled the keys from his pocket and lifted the padlocked chain; he immediately saw that it was unlocked. He looked to Noah, who shook his head, and then slowly opened the door and made his way in. They were then met by the sight of a man dead on the floor of the barn with a piece of wood sticking out of the base of his skull.

* * *

Rick and the others made their way behind the vehicles that were left parked inside the yard; they crouched down while sporadically peering over the top to see what was going on. They noticed a group of women, teenagers and children standing to the far side of the fence being detained by several men with guns; they did not get a clear view of them. The people who held Michonne, Carl and Jahnee captive were too busy trying to save the house from burning to notice them approaching with furtiveness.

"What d'ya wanna do?" Daryl asked as they assessed the situation.

"Wait for Glenn and Noah," he whispered. "If Michonne and the kids are in there, they'll be comin' out together."

Daryl nodded in agreement before he shifted and glanced over the vehicle once more.

"And then what? Think it's safe to try to shoot our way out o' here, 'specially with all them women and kids there?" Daryl asked, motioning to the captives.

Rick sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose; he had not given much thought to the other people there, with the exception of Noah's younger brother.

"Fuck." Said Rick as he tried to formulate a change in their plan.

* * *

"This isn't right." Whispered Noah as they stepped further into the barn that was lit by numerous kerosene lanterns hanging about the walls. "What happened here? Where is everyone?"

"Maybe helping with the fire?" Glenn asked.

"No, the last time a fire broke out in one of the huts, they didn't get us to help; said they could handle it and locked us up. This just doesn't seem…"

Just then, they heard the clicking sound of a gun being cocked. Glenn turned slowly to see a man with a pistol aimed at Noah's head.

"What do we have here, then?" The man asked. "Is that you, Noah? Okay, nice and easy there, son."

Noah turned slowly to face him; the gun was pointed at his face.

"So, you went off on a mission and then brought back this asshole and decided to fuck our home up, uh boy?" The man spat as he stepped closer.

There was a group of captives behind him, being guarded by another man. Glenn went to reach for his weapon but the man saw what his intentions were.

"Not so fast, pretty boy. I'll put two bullets in between your little friend's eyes before you even draw. Now, whatever weapons you got on you, toss 'em to the ground, nice and easy. Geoff, get those pets over to that wall. Hurry up, I ain't got all night."

Glenn hesitantly placed his pistol to the ground and backed away with his hands slightly raised. Noah and Glenn were then forced to stand with the other captives against the wall of the barn while the two guards figured out what they would do.

As Glenn was being made to stand with the group of women and children, he thought for a moment that his eyes were deceiving him; standing in amongst the group was Beth. Glenn looked wide-eyed at her in surprise and went to say something, but Beth shook her head slightly conveying for him not to let it show that they knew one another. Noah noticed that Beth did not have his little brother with her, like she usually did. He felt his stomach drop as fear encompassed him. The one called Geoff walked to the door of the barn, opened it slightly and peered out while the other man kept his gun on the captives.

Suddenly, from behind the small partition that separated a space in the barn, Michonne stepped out. In the blink of an eye, she kicked the side of his leg just near the knee, causing it to snap as it bent inwards. He turned sharply and aimed his weapon at her; she quickly and skilfully used a self-defence move on his outstretched arm, causing him to fire off several shots as a reaction to the searing pain he felt in both his now fractured arm and leg before he dropped the weapon and fell to the ground. Luckily his firing did not hit anyone in the process, but the startled captives were now huddled closer together.

Michonne then kicked the gun out of the way, stood over him and used the sharp piece of wood she was still carrying and stabbed it roughly into the man's heart killing him instantly. Before an alerted Geoff could react, Carl had already approached from behind and shot him three times in the head; his body slumped against the door of the barn before it slid unceremoniously to the straw and manure covered floor

Glenn and Noah quickly grabbed their weapons from the ground and threw grateful looks at Carl and Michonne. Beth drew her friends into an embrace that was hurried as Jahnee stepped from behind the partition and stood at Carl's side.

"What's the plan?" Asked Glenn as he checked the fallen guards' weapons to see how many bullets they had left; Geoff's was fully loaded.

"Give me the gun, I'll go around the back and take out as many as I can while you take out any that come to the front door…"

"No! Not on your own!" Carl interjected. "I'm coming with you!"

Michonne looked at the determination in Carl's eyes and knew there was no point in arguing with him; he gave Jahnee a reassuring look before meeting Michonne's eyes once more.

"Fine. We take 'em out and wait for your Dad." She said as Carl nodded. "Glenn, if you see an opening, if we've made a big enough dent, take these people and head for the gate. Don't wait for us; we'll be fine, Rick's not gonna leave us. If Rick makes a play, follow his lead because that's what we'll be doing. We're all gonna make it."

Glenn nodded his head, handed Beth the other gun and then they all focussed on the group of captives before Michonne spoke.

"Noah, who out of these people are like Cynthia?"

He looked over at the group and realized that three Coaxers, including Cynthia were missing.

"None of them that I know of; the others like her aren't here."

"Right," Michonne started as she eyed the frightened looking people before her. "We're gettin' out of here. You're all welcome to come, just don't try to get in our way."

* * *

Upon hearing the shots that came from the barn, Peter and Daryl made their way quickly towards it and entered just as Badger's men had noticed them running across the yard. Rick and Maggie let off several shots to cover Daryl and Peter so that they made it safely inside; they soon traded their silenced weapons for much louder ones as their ammunition ran out.

"We're under attack! Let it burn; we gotta get outta here!"

Yelled one of Badger's men to whomever was left standing after Rick and the others had fired on them; bodies lay strewn out on the ground while a few more men took cover behind the poles of the water tank stand. A few returned fire as Maggie and Rick took cover behind the cars; Rick held his revolver over the trunk of one of the cars and let a countless number of shots ring out. He reloaded his revolver and repeated.

Badger fired his own round of shots as he stooped lower to the ground and found cover behind a dog kennel. The element of surprise had aided Rick and the others greatly; they had succeeded in taking down most of Badger's men, though Rick was still unsure if Badger himself had been killed in amongst the gunfight as they had never met before.

"_Rick?" _

The ringing in Rick's ears almost made it sound like someone was calling his name. The gunshots had ceased a moment when he heard it again.

"Rick?"

And then…

"Dad?"

He lifted his head over the trunk of the car to see a man with a gun pointed at Michonne's head while Carl walked along in front of her. Rick, without thinking, went to stand but Maggie dragged him back down.

"Wait! Wait. Hold on, Rick. See what's what before we move." She whispered as he felt the blood rush from his face.

The man that held Michonne whispered something close to her ear and then she spoke.

"Rick, are you here? They know you're here."

"Michonne! Carl! " He called back hoarsely, painfully. "I'm here. It's okay, I'm here."

He then stood and aimed his revolver at the man; the dread and confusion in their eyes almost killed him. Regardless of the fear and although she had been caught once again, Michonne felt a sense of relief wash over her at seeing Rick and she offered him a small smile.

"He said don't shoot or he'll kill Carl and then me." She said loudly and slowly as she and Carl were forced to keep on walking a short distance.

Rick felt all of the air leave his lungs and his heart sink.

"Don't be stupid, asshole." The man said to Rick. "Toss your gun to the ground."

Reluctantly, Rick did as instructed when he noticed another man come from out of nowhere and approach the three of them; Michonne and Carl were told to stop walking as the man sidled up beside them. He lifted his weapon and pulled the trigger.

_BANG!_

Rick's heart jumped out of his chest before he finally realized what had happened; the second man had killed the first man, and now had his gun aimed at Michonne.

"Turn back around, boy." He said to Carl who had thought the bullet was for his step mother.

"So you're Rick Grimes, uh?" He asked as he spat on the ground.

"Badger?" Rick asked, not taking his eyes off of him.

"Live and in the flesh." He answered smugly.

"Well _Badger_, I'm gonna need you to let my family go." Rick said evenly.

"Oh, Grimes. I don't think I can do that, and I wouldn't be tryin' anything stupid or heroic if I were you. See my late associate here, whom I just put a bullet in? Well, I actually spent eighteen months or so with him; eating with him; fuckin' youngins with him; I liked this man, and I just put him down like a broke dick dog because he was gonna get in my way; he was gonna take up space, slow me down and halve the supply of ammo I have and that would not be to my liking. Now, I don't even like you or your family and I'd have no qualms in fuckin' and then killin' your family here if you get in my way. So, let's come to some sort of arrangement, so at least I can get my ass out o' here alive."

"Enough talkin'!" Rick said. "What do you want?"

"Firstly, tell your buddy behind the car to come on out and lay face down near the barn. Come on, we ain't got all night."

Maggie stood after a moment and hastily did as she was instructed.

"Well now, since my home is now fucked up because of you and yours, I want safe passage outta here. But I don't think that's gonna happen unless I have a hostage…"

"Take me!" Rick yelled as he stepped closer and raised his hands in the air.

"Oh that's too easy, Grimes. You had better get down on your knees! Do it!" He screamed as he pointed the weapon to the side of Michonne's head.

"Fuck it, boy, you get down too!" He demanded of Carl, who did as he was told.

Badger now let his hand run down Michonne's front; he cupped her breast, leaned around and licked the side of her face; Rick felt the anger rise within him and fought the urge to run at Badger and rip his head off with his bare hands.

"She's a fine lookin' woman, Grimes. I can see why you'd come here to get her back. Nice piece of ass right here." He said as he continued to grope Michonne.

She locked eyes with Rick, silently pleading with him to keep calm and conveying to him that she was alright.

"So, here's the deal. You choose who I can take; your bitch or your kid. It's easy really…"

"Take me!" Rick pleaded. "You can have me, just leave 'em alone!"

"Where's the fun in that?" Badger asked as he pressed the gun against Michonne's abdomen where their child was still growing.

Rick felt his jaw clench.

"Please, you don't have to do this. I'll go with you." He said, hearing his own voice crack slightly.

Badger forced Michonne down to her knees beside Carl. He moved the gun back and forth from Michonne to Carl and smiled at Rick.

"Come on Grimes, which one? Who do you love more? Look, if I take the boy, at least you and your woman here will have another kid to replace him. Besides, she's a bit older than I like, but he'll do nicely." He jeered.

"What do you reckon, kid?" He asked Carl.

"Fuck you!" Said Carl as Badger laughed.

"Fuck me? How about I fuck you?" He spat as he held the gun to Carl's temple then pushed him to the ground on his face.

Michonne and Rick both reacted and moved forward before they were reminded of the gravity of the situation.

"Stay back or I'll splatter his brains right here, right now!" Said Badger as pressed his knee into Carl's back, held the gun in place and tried to force the teenager's jeans down.

"Stop! Get your hands off him! Take me! You fucking animal! Take me!" Michonne screamed.

Badger stopped what he was doing, stood and grabbed Michonne by the hair; pulling her to her feet. He once again pressed the gun to her abdomen and they were on the move; everything happened in a matter of seconds.

"No!" Rick called out as he watched helplessly while Badger took Michonne and attempted to leave; Carl remained face down on the ground.

"Stay the fuck back!" Badger ordered as he forced Michonne past Rick, and made her get into the car nearest to the gate.

"Don't try stop us, fuck it! Don't even move or I'll shoot her in front of you." He said while handing Michonne the keys and getting her to start the engine.

Badger got into the car, kept his eyes on Rick's back and the gun on Michonne as he made her drive away, crashing through the gate and speeding up the dirt track. Rick and Carl both sprang to their feet and then ran after them as the red taillights grew smaller. Suddenly, there was the sound of two gunshots, a muzzle flash inside the vehicle and then the car stopped. Rick felt his heart break as he ran for the car which had come to a halt not too far away; Carl was not far behind him.

As he got closer, he could make out that the doors were opened and then closed after three figures stepped out and were headed in his direction. As they neared, Rick's ears strained to hear his name being called.

"Rick!"

His heart swelled as he recognized Michonne's voice immediately. He ran faster to meet her more quickly under the dark night sky. They fell into each other's arm as their legs gave way; Rick embraced Michonne as they both kneeled in the dirt and held on to each other; sharing a rushed and aching kiss. Neither fighting back the tears that were streaming down their faces.

* * *

Once the group had secured more weapons, vehicles and supplies, and then killed any of Badger's remaining men; they piled into the vehicles and started their journey home. They had to make their way through a small herd of walkers that had amassed at the outer gate, but had made easy work of them. Daryl, Glenn and Noah rode in the minibus containing the freed captives and Noah held his brother Briley while he slept; Maggie, happily reunited with her sister Beth, drove the van with Peter and Jahnee in it; and Rick, Michonne, Tanya and Carl rode in the pickup truck. Michonne held onto Carl in the backseat as they drove along in silence, Tanya up front with Rick.

"I was so scared." He said to Michonne as Rick listened in on them.

"You were great, buddy. You kept Jahnee alive and thought to start the fire. You were great." She said as she brushed the hair away from his face.

"Yeah, but not scared of that; I knew I could handle it. I just remembered everything you, and my Dad and everyone else taught me. I meant when that man took you. And then when we heard the gun go off. I thought…I thought he _killed_ you." Carl said softly.

Michonne sighed.

"It's okay, now. I'm okay. We made it." She said reassuringly.

"What happened?" He asked, not sure of how Michonne, Tanya and Briley had gotten out of the car alive, while Badger was now dead.

"Thankfully, Tanya and Noah's little brother were still in the back of that car where I told 'em to wait. She still had the piece of wood I gave her, and when we got up the road, she stabbed that man in the throat. I took his gun, and shot him; he can't hurt anyone else anymore."

Carl sat up from where he was leaning on Michonne's shoulder and placed a tentative hand on Tanya's arm.

"Thank you." He said softly; the woman returned his gesture with a small smile.

"And thank you Dad, for coming for us." Carl said. "I knew you would."

"I'll always come to get the two of you. Y'all and Judy are my life. And you don't have to thank me. It's okay, son. Everything's okay now. I'm so proud of you."

Carl smiled and resumed his position as Michonne kissed the side of his head; Carl gripped her hand in his and whispered a _thank you_ to her as well before closing his eyes and trying to sleep.

They travelled along in silence for a short while.

"You okay?" Rick finally asked Michonne.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. I'm okay 'cause you are." Rick said as he sighed.

Michonne smiled at him, though he could not see her.

"What's next? What do we do now?" She asked after a moment.

"Now, we get back to the Settlement, get our baby girl and the rest of our people to safety, and I kill that lowlife motherfucker John."

* * *

A/N: The End!

Just kidding! Lol there's more to come. I need to take a hit at my asthma inhaler after that hehe

Here's some trivia for this chapter:

_Cynthia and a number of Badger's other people were away on a run while Rick and co attacked their compound. _

_Michonne left Badger in the car to turn and rot. So when his people get back, they'll find their home destroyed and their leader a rotted reanimated corpse. He didn't deserve an on-page death (I just couldn't write him anymore), the horrible, scummy bastard. _

Now as for John, he will learn very shortly; he fucked with the wrong people!


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: Wow, wow, wow! Your responses to that last chapter were fantastic. I wish I had the time to respond to each and every one of you, but sadly, I do not. Hi to those who have just found this *waves* and thanks to those who have stuck with me through the drama! High fives to all of the reviewers who hit the button before their review was done because they were flustered from the excitement! Lol that's what I like to see.

Cakebythepound: You gave me my 400th review! And thanks for saying such nice things about my writing and storytelling ability. It means a lot to me! Especially from another Richonne fic writer.

KK: Oh my; how flattering! I'm glad you enjoyed the standoff with the scummy bastard and everything that came afterwards. I was very tense writing it, but the relief at the end was soooo good.

Guest: You gave me review number 401 and I'm glad you just started reading this! To answer your query, Michonne is around three and a half months preggers at this time.

Okay, I have nothing left to say except _enjoy_!

* * *

"John's got to know that something's up by now," Michonne said to Rick as they were parked not far away from the Settlement trying to work out their plan of attack.

They were at a secluded suburban area several blocks away from the school grounds, where they agreed would be their rendezvous point should something unforeseeable happen to them; Tyreese and the others had brought Judith and Peter's wife Valarie there to wait for Rick and the rest of the group to arrive. No one from the Settlement had seen them leave and they were certain they would be afforded some safety there while a few of them returned to deal with John and his sycophants.

Rick was still angry with the whole situation; he had gotten into the head space that he needed to in order to mount a rescue back at the farmhouse, but now, as he thought of what his family had been through, he was overcome with a deep sense of rage. Michonne could tell he had not heard her statement as they waited for the others to take stock of what ammunition they had left.

"Rick?" She called to him; placing her arm on his shoulder.

"Yeah?" He answered, finally being drawn out of his hate-filled daze.

"John, he has to know by now that we figured out that he's a lying piece of shit. How are we gonna approach this?" She asked, searching Rick's eyes and seeing the anger and slight insanity in them.

"_We_ ain't doin' anything," he offered, taking hold of her hand. "_I'm_ gonna head back in, I need you to stay here with Carl."

Michonne nodded; she had been through enough and, while she wanted to be there by Rick's side, she knew it was best that she take a moment to rest. She also knew that Carl was not going to stay behind unless she was there to ensure he actually did as his father asked; as if on cue, the teenager appeared at their side.

"Dad, I'm coming with you." Carl said while standing at the opened door of the car.

"Son, we don't know what they have in store for us…"

"You know I can handle myself. You see what I did back there…"

"Yeah, I see you, Carl; I do. But right now, I need you to stay here and help Michonne to watch after Judy and the rest of our people. You've been through a lot today, so it's best that you stay and rest; I can handle this." Rick said quietly, pushing his rage aside a moment.

Carl shook his head and averted his gaze; he knew his father was right so he resigned himself to not pushing the issue. Realistically, they did not have the time or energy to waste arguing the point. Carl stepped backwards sightly and then looked up at his father and Michonne.

"Okay. I'll stay." He offered and Rick nodded.

"Good. Now go and check if Peter's back with those other weapons and ammo." Rick instructed as he moved to exit the vehicle.

"Oh, he just arrived. That's what I came over to tell you." Carl replied.

Rick turned to make his way over to Peter with Carl and Michonne not too far behind.

"How'd ya go?" Rick asked his friend as Michonne and Carl walked past them to get Judith from a relieved looking Beth.

"We did well." Peter offered confidently. "Shankar and McGillion were there; I filled 'em in on what that asshole arranged and what he's been doin' with our own people to secure the safety of the Settlement. They were as shocked as we were."

"Can we trust 'em?" Rick asked, unsure of who out of the Law Keepers and Council members were involved with John's shady dealings with Badger.

"Yeah. They're good men; I trust 'em with my life." Peter offered assuredly.

"Where's Roundtree?" Queried Rick while he shifted his weight from one leg to the other.

"He was off somewhere with Gary, hopefully he ain't mixed up in this too." He replied.

"We'll deal with 'em when we catch up with 'em later." Rick said contemplatively.

"Shankar and McGillion also told me John's put a bounty on our heads." Peter said.

"What?" Rick asked incredulously.

"After they figured out we were gone. They're sayin' you're a psycho who wants to run the Settlement and I'm a traitor who's helping you out. They're waitin' for us, Rick."

"Let 'em wait." Rick said as he smirked to himself. "We'll be there soon enough."

* * *

The dark sky was just slightly turning pale as the early morning sun awoke to greet the day. Rick had a restless night; they had a plan in place and remained undetected and safe, but sleep still evaded him. He watched in silence as his family slept; Judith resting comfortably in between Carl and Michonne.

Rick felt a tear run down his cheek as he let a thought of them being hurt creep into his mind. He had not had the time to process exactly how close Carl and Michonne had come to death. He had not even had the stomach or the chance to ask them if they had been assaulted by their captors. Rick shook his head as if to shake the horrible vision from his mind.

He inhaled and exhaled deeply; he recalled the look on Michonne's face when Badger pressed the gun to her head. When he tried to make Rick choose between her and Carl. For that split second, he could tell what the look meant; it meant that she would make the decision for him. She would choose; she would lay down her life for Carl's. Knowing this, Rick felt a deeper love for Michonne than he thought was possible; yet the thought of her dying still hurt like someone took a blunt knife and rammed it into his chest.

Another tear escaped from his eye. He had almost lost them both. He now felt the rage rise up from inside of him; blindingly searing. He knew he had to be better, more brutal, to protect them. He was not going to allow anyone to hurt those he loved; today would be the day of reckoning. If Rick had to burn that entire Settlement to the ground and slaughter every last one of its residents, so be it.

He suddenly shifted from where he was leaning against the wall watching Michonne and the children sleep on a few cushions on the floor of an abandoned house. The others in their group, as well as Peter, his family and those whom were freed from the Slavers were all there too.

Michonne was roused by Rick's movements; she turned to face him and he offered her a small smile, hoping silently that she could not tell he had been crying.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Mornin'." He replied, moving to help her into a seated position.

"Almost good to go?" She asked as she noticed the others were getting ready to leave.

"Almost. I was just waitin' on you to wake up so I could say goodbye." He smiled.

Michonne reached for his hand to help her stand and when she did, she wrapped her arms tightly around Rick's waist and held him. They both breathed softly as Rick rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Be careful today." Michonne advised. "Your baby wants to meet his daddy."

Rick smiled and felt his heart swell at her tender, whispered words.

"How d'ya know it's a boy?" He asked, forgetting for a moment the troubles that they faced.

Michonne thought back to when she was pregnant with André and how she had known all along that he would be a boy.

"I don't know." She offered a little sadly. "Just a feeling I have, I suppose."

She pulled back slightly so that she could look Rick in the eye. He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms firmly about her waist. He noticed an indescribable sadness to her gaze; a deep melancholy that he thought he recognized in her sometimes when she looked at Judith.

"You okay?" Rick asked as he grew concerned for her emotional state in that moment.

"Yeah, I'm good; all things considered." She offered weakly.

"I'm comin' back to you, you know that, right?" He queried.

"I know you'll do everything in your power to get back to me and the kids, Rick. That's one of the many reasons why I love you."

Rick smiled genuinely and pressed a small and gentle kiss to Michonne's lips.

"I love you too." He whispered.

* * *

Although Rick and the others had left at dawn, it was midmorning when Bud who was manning the main access gate noticed a vehicle approaching the Settlement. He recognized that it was the car that Shankar and McGillion had taken to man the watch post. His eyes grew wide when he realized that they were not alone. Bound in the back seat was Peter Turner and Rick Grimes; the same pair that had previously stolen a vehicle, tied him up and threatened his life.

"Where'd you find these two asswipes?" Bud asked, impressed that they had apprehended their targets so soon.

"Saw 'em trying to get past the watch post. Stupid assholes; was their idea to set up the post in the first place, then they try to sneak their asses past it. Hell no; we ain't havin' none o' that." Said McGillion, hoping that Bud would fall for their subterfuge.

Bud scoffed; "Serves 'em right, the big talkin' pricks. Well, good job at catchin' em. John and Gary'll be happy. You best get on over to the centre of the Settlement. I'll radio John and let him know you got 'em and you're on your way."

* * *

Shankar and McGillion stopped the vehicle and saw John and some other Council members standing several yards away; they went to the back of the car and undid Rick's and Peter's bindings.

"You all ready for this?" Peter asked them, to which they nodded in the affirmative.

They approached with their guns drawn just behind Rick and Peter who were concealing their own weapons behind their backs. John, Melanie, a couple of other Council members and two guards stood in place and waited; there was a large group of residents also standing around. As the four men approached they took in the scene and tried to take note of who was armed and who was not; when they were close enough, they pulled their guns on them. Rick took aim at John.

"What the Hell is this shit?" Asked John as he looked at them disbelievingly. "You're all in this together? With this traitor and this crazy asshole?"

"The time for lies is over, John." Said Peter, his eyes and aim trained on one of the two guards who had drawn their weapons.

"What are you even talkin' about, Peter? What's gotten in to you?" John started.

"You know what I'm talkin' about!" He yelled in response, causing people in the crowd to back up.

"You've been hangin' around Rick Grimes too much; he's a manipulative piece of shit. Don't anyone listen to a word he says." John offered as he looked to the confused residents.

"Spare them your bullshit, John!" Said Rick. "There's only one piece of shit here, and that's you. So why don't you tell these good people the truth."

"Truth is I should've known that you and your group were trouble when you arrived here. You're all bat shit crazy; been out on the road too long. Now you got my good men turnin' against me. You're like those cult leaders havin' weak minded people follow you. Why don't you just do us all a favour and die, Grimes? You self-righteous prick."

John spat as Rick offered him a cracked smile.

"You tried to have me killed, you low life scum. Didn't you? Guess it just wasn't my time." Rick said loudly for everyone to hear.

"Oh, I think it is your time." John said as Rick heard the sound of a gun being cocked and the feel of a barrel pressed against his head.

"Drop the gun, Grimes!" Gary ordered as he crept up on him.

Rick did not relent, even when Peter and the others looked to him; he indicated that they should stand their ground.

"Tell these people the truth, John!" Said Rick, ignoring the loaded weapon pointed at his temple.

"He's crazy!" John said. "Look at him, no sane man behaves like this. Don't listen to him."

"Listen to me, then." Offered Peter. "You all know me and my family. John had my daughter and Rick's family kidnapped…"

"He's lying." Said John.

"Have y'all noticed that people around here just wind up missing; let me rephrase, women and kids around here wind up missin'. Anyone ever thought why?"

"You have no proof to back up these accusations, if that is what I think you're saying." Said Melanie tentatively.

Rick then began to speak.

"The whole time this place didn't need tighter security from other people; didn't any of you people question that? Especially you ones who've lived and survived on the outside, didn't you think that's strange."

"Shut the fuck up, Grimes!" Gary ordered as he pressed the gun into Rick's head.

"Rick's right! This whole time, no other groups have come and bothered us when we know that there are others out there. Why is that? Why have _we_ been able to stay here and not be harassed or attacked like other communities, like Rick's was; like a few others have been?"

"What are you saying?" Asked Melanie.

"I'm sayin' that the reason we weren't being harassed is because our mighty leader _John_ here has been makin' deals with others. Deals that involve trading our residents to rapists and scum bags so that no one would attack us."

"That's outrageous!" John interjected. "This is a fabrication. You can't possibly believe this shit!"

"It's, for the most part, always been a newcomer; some woman on her own, or some kid that couldn't fend for himself." Shankar offered.

"He's been trading people he didn't think anyone cared about." Added McGillion.

"Then my little girl was taken." Said Peter.

"Then he came for _my family_." Rick finally said.

"Think about all of those women who didn't make it back from runs; think about all those kids that were 'attacked' by walkers and you never saw their remains. They're the ones who were traded like pieces of meat, raped, tortured and murdered so that y'all could all live comfortably and in peace!" Rick spat.

One of the guards then let his weapon fall to his side as he considered what Rick and the others were saying.

"Shut the fuck up!" Gary told Rick once more.

"He's lying. He's got the others believin' his lies." John said as he noticed the dubious looks some of the residents were giving him.

"What do I get outta tellin' lies? Honestly? My family ain't here anymore. I don't want anything that y'all people own. I just want this asshole to pay for having my son and my pregnant wife abducted. That's all. Y'all can go about your business after I'm done."

The other guard put his gun in its holster and stepped away from John.

"How many times I gotta tell you, Grimes; shut up!" Gary said once more.

"Is it true, John?" Melanie finally asked as she backed away herself. "Is that what's been going on?"

John started to feel his world crumbling around him; there was a tightness in his chest and his throat felt dry. He tried to speak but was choked up.

"Melanie, of course it ain't true!" Gary cut in. "John's been nothin' but kind to us. He took you and yours in; he took me and…he took me in. We know him; this Grimes prick is dangerous and would say anything to be in control."

"With respect, Gary, I wanna hear John say it." Melanie said evenly. "Have you been selling our women and children off as sex slaves?"

"Gary," John started, ignoring the question. "Just shoot him."

Gary looked to Rick then back at John.

"Just pull the trigger; he's a lyin' piece o' shit. Just do it!" He urged as Gary's shaky hand gripped the weapon tightly.

Rick froze up, but kept his weapon pointed at John. If he was about to die, he would try to get one shot off and hopefully hit his target.

Just then, Peter let out a loud whistle; Daryl, Glenn, Carol, Tyreese and Tara descended on the scene with their weapons drawn. Beside Carol was the woman whom they had rescued, Tanya. She looked around the group as she clung to Carol's arm; she was timid and unsure.

Some of the residents looked at her in surprise and a number of gasps were heard as she and Carol approached the area and stood in between the stand-off. Tanya lifted her head hesitantly and looked at Rick; she then let her eyes focus on the man who had his gun pointed to Rick's head.

"Gary?" She said so softly that it was almost a whisper.

Gary thought his ears were deceiving him until he let his eyes follow to where his name had been spoken.

"Tanya?" He said as he blinked quickly, trying to make sure he was actually seeing things correctly.

"Tanya? Is that you?" He asked as the woman let a small but pained smile play on her lips.

She nodded.

"It's me." Tanya said softly to her husband.

"Wha… what's goin' on here? You…you were meant to be dead…They said you were dead!"

"Everything they said is true. I was…I was traded by John to some bad men…I've, I've been there this whole time as a prisoner. This man's wife saved me and he helped us escape. Please, let him go." She said pointing to Rick.

Rick kept his eyes on John, who was now at the end of his tether and looking to the side for an escape; his gaze found Daryl's loaded crossbow aimed right at him. Gary slowly pulled the gun away from Rick's temple and motioned for Tanya to step forward; when she did he held her in a tight embrace and began to walk away with her in his arms. He dropped his gun to the ground as John called after him.

"Y'all heard it." Said Peter. "You know the truth now. If any of you think he deserves to live, speak up. If not, it's best y'all take your leave now!"

Some people left the scene and headed home; disgusted in what they had learned. Others, out of anger, stayed to watch the ordeal reach its climax.

John did not try to run as Rick walked right up to him and pressed the end of his gun between his eyes.

"Admit to these people that it's true." Rick said evenly.

"It is. I did what they said I did. But fuck you all anyways! You're all too weak to make the hard decisions; I did what I had to do, I…"

"Enough!" Yelled Rick as he forced the gun into John's face harder.

"Who else was involved? Tell me now; you know you're dead anyways." Rick said sternly.

John shook his head slightly; there was no one left to implicate since his son was already dead.

"No one else. Only my son. Hurry up, Grimes. Make it quick." He said as he closed his eyes.

Rick moved his revolver from John's face and aimed it at his heart; he pulled the trigger as the scorching bullet tore through John's chest; his lifeless body slumped to the ground with a thud. There were some loud gasps from the residents as the shot rang out and pierced the quietness of the day. Rick rolled John's corpse over with his foot, and emptied the remainder of his bullets into his chest; he did not shoot him in the head.

Rick looked around at those still standing there; he shouted loudly enough so that those who were walking away could hear him.

"We'll have a town hall meeting at noon. Those who want to leave can go; those who want to see what our next steps will be, come along and have your say. Any questions, see Peter."

He then looked back down at the body that was bleeding into the dirt.

Daryl and the others made their way over.

"What should we do with him?" Asked Tyreese.

"I don't care," replied Rick as he spat on the remains before he walked away. "As long as you let him turn."

* * *

A/N: More to come!

I wonder if anyone came to a small realisation after reading this. I'm keen to hear from you all. Thanks for reading!


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: Hi all. Sorry for the wait; I had this all handwritten and couldn't be fluffed typing it hehehe I just wanted to address how Rick dealt with John. I know a few readers wanted to see an all-out blood bath, but I needed to consider Rick in all of that. He has so much weighing on him with the things he has done and the people of the Settlement already had preconceptions of him being unhinged and bad. If he is going to step up as their leader, he needs to show them that he is strong, fair and ultimately good. They need to see that in him; dealing with John quickly and efficiently was a way for them to get to know Rick. No one responds well to a maniac waving a gun around calling for peace!

**mobettasway**: welcome! This is my obsession as well. Ha!

**focusedOnProsperity** &amp; **cakebythepound**: thanks for the compliments.

**KK**: Nothing gets past you, ever! You're right; Rick doesn't know about André…

Thanks to all of you, dear readers. This is a filler and much slower than the last few chapters. It's setting up what's to come.

* * *

The pounding that was inside of Rick's head just did not want to cease as he sat on a plastic crate near the main entrance to the Settlement. He glanced at his wristwatch and then rubbed his rough hands together. He was waiting for the rest of his people to arrive. Abe, Sasha, Bob and the others had agreed to take care of those who they had rescued; Maggie and Beth were inseparable; while Michonne and Carl were watching out for each other, Judith, Jahnee and Valarie. Glenn had made the short trek to let them know it was safe to return as John had been taken care of. Rick glanced up the road and stood when he saw the two vehicles approaching; he signalled for the young man who was working the gate to unlock it to allow his family and the newcomers access.

His group piled out of the vehicles followed by the people they had rescued; Rick searched the small crowd until his eyes fell on Michonne and the children. Carl led Judith over as their smiling father drew them both into a hug; kissing them on top of their heads. As Michonne got closer, Rick's smile grew wider; she draped her arms over his shoulders and he caught hold of her waist as they shared a languid kiss. Rick then rested his forehead against Michonne's while they stood in silence, both glad that the other was safe.

"What happens now?" She finally asked as they walked along; her arm looped through his.

"We're having a meeting shortly in the Council rooms. Let everyone have a say in what they want to do now that there's a shift in leadership. And we gotta talk about defences too." Said Rick.

"I might go and see Doctor Buckley to make sure everything's alright." Michonne said and Rick immediately looked at her with concern.

"Talk to me." He said as he stopped walking.

"It's nothing in particular. I just want the Doc to check me over. Make sure everything's fine with the baby." Michonne offered reassuringly.

"Alright." Rick agreed. "You want me to come with you?"

"No. I got it. Go to the meeting, I'll find you later."

xXxXx

"Thanks for takin' the time to come together." Said Melanie. "I know it's been a pretty tiring day for a lot of us already, so we should get this started. I'll hand over to Peter now."

"I know y'all have a lot of questions, but we need to get a few things sorted. Firstly, the people who've just joined us. Please follow my wife Valarie and head on over to the Infirmary. We have a doctor who's available to give you a once over or treat any injuries you have. Thank you." Said Peter as the group from the farmhouse left, including Beth, Noah and his small brother Briley.

"Okay, so what's going on now?" Someone asked of Peter.

"Now, we have a lot of things to think about." He offered as Rick stood beside him.

"This place has been standing because of the deals that John made with some bad people. We've taken care of most of those people, but according to some of the people we saved, there were a few who were not at their base of operations when we hit it. They could figure out that we attacked and come for us."

"And why did we attack in the first place?" someone else asked.

"Because they had our people." Rick snapped. "Look. We don't know if they'll even figure it was us, but we did take in a girl who was working with them."

"What about the other people who we just let in…?"

"How can we be sure they ain't dangerous…?"

"What the fuck…?"

"Quieten down." Said Peter as he tried to get the residents to calm down. "Listen up, people. Come on."

"Be quiet!" Yelled Rick as he banged his fist on the table. "We're gonna answer your questions, but y'all gotta let us fuckin' talk."

The room fell silent.

"First of all, tonight we need everyone to sleep inside of the gym. No exceptions. Everyone needs to be in a central location and accounted for. That includes the new people. Second, we're gonna spend time talkin' to the newcomers." Said Rick.

"We need as much information as we can get." Added Peter when some of the residents looked at each other questioningly.

"Everyone's gonna have to pitch in and help with other duties they may not have done before, and everybody is starting weapons and defence training today; no exceptions. We don't know who else is out there. Which other groups left us alone because of these sick arrangements. We've gotta be prepared. Those who have weapons experience see Peter to take some extra sentry duties; those who need some training, see me afterwards." Rick explained.

"What do you say, Melanie?" asked someone in the crowd.

"I say do whatever it is Peter and Rick ask of us. There are bad people out there and we need to protect what we have, they know how we can do that best." She answered.

"Okay, so those who need training, meet me at the ball courts in ten minutes. Those who can take up extra watch duties, wait here with Peter. Everyone else, start moving what you need into the gym." With that, Rick patted Peter on the back and walked over to his children.

"I wanna help with the training, Dad." Said Carl with certainty.

"Alright then. Let's go."

xXxXx

"How are you?" Rick asked Michonne once they had returned to their home to gather up their mattresses to shift to the gym; he settled in next to her as she sat waiting for him on the couch and pressed his hand to her head gently, examining her injuries.

Michonne winced from where she had been struck when she was abducted.

"Sorry." he said, while grabbing her hand and pressing a kiss to it.

"It's fine. I'm good, just tired and a little sore. Doc said everything looks good," she said with a weak smile.

Rick looked relieved as the corner of his lips turned up into a small grin; he reached over and rubbed her abdomen where their baby was growing. He considered his next question carefully before plucking up the nerve to ask.

"When you were taken, besides those bumps to the head, did anything _else_ happen to you?" Queried Rick as he sat waiting for Michonne to answer.

He was not sure how he would take it if it turned out that she had been sexually assaulted.

"No. Nobody touched me like that." She replied reassuringly, knowing what Rick was asking even though he did not say the words.

"And Carl?" Rick strained to ask.

"I spoke to him; he's fine. He said nothing happened. Something almost happened to Jahnee, but they both killed the guy who attacked her. She's still shaken, but I think she'll be okay. Carl's gonna be okay but I knew he would be, and I hate the fact that he's, I dunno, built for this world. Know what I mean?"

Rick nodded.

"Sometimes I forget that he knew the world before everything changed; but everything he's seen and done since, he really is up to the task of surviving here and now." He proffered sadly.

"He did so well, Rick. He kept that little girl alive. He's so strong and _good._" Michonne offered, finding herself get choked up a little.

Rick noticed the shakiness in her voice and the glassiness of her eyes; he draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. He did not say anything.

"I wish things were different for him. He should have been finding his feet in high school; sending text messages to cute girls like Jahnee, not having to save them from monsters in this nightmare."

Michonne sighed: "No matter how things turn out, he's gonna be okay. You did a great job with him, Rick. You kept him safe. You protected him. You taught him how to get by. He's gonna make it. Judy's gonna make it and this baby's gonna be fine."

She offered as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"You alright?" Rick looked at Michonne concerned, noticing there was something deeper; something she was not saying.

She stared into his eyes and smiled weakly.

"Yeah. I think I am. Damn these hormones." Michonne joked as she nestled into Rick's arms and wished she had known him in her previous life; maybe then her precious son André would still be alive.

* * *

A/N: Sorry this was short and boring! Don't like posting fillers after I've left an update this long, but they have to be done. More exciting things to come!


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. There are a few things going on in this update as we gear up for what's to come. Thanks to those who have followed, read and reviewed! Enjoy!

Warning: mention of assault trauma

* * *

Considering the number of people who were presently relocated to the gym at the Settlement, it was a relatively quiet night; people spoke in hushed tones by the warm light of the kerosene lamps. Michonne took in the sight of people whom she had seen every day since they had arrived; most of them had been in the relative safety of the Settlement since the Turn. A safety that cost many people from their community their lives because of shady dealings with deviants.

A smile crossed Michonne's face when she took note of the number of residents who had been reunited with their loved ones who were traded into a life of torture and subservience. Her smile faded as she quietly wondered if there was a way that they could come back from the trauma; the world was horrible enough to deal with, but coupled with what they had endured at the hands of Badger and countless others, it must now seem unbearable. She felt a sense of relief as she watched Maggie and Beth a little while; both sisters leaning against a wall close to a corner. They were now both afforded the chance to mourn the loss of their dear father together.

Not too far away from Maggie and Beth were Noah and his small brother Briley; the older of the two sat with his back pressed against the wall while the young boy slept with his head resting in Noah's lap. Noah, with eyes closed, stroked the child's head comfortingly.

Michonne watched with interest as Valarie, Peter's wife, huddled with a few of the women and teenagers who were held captive; she had agreed to speak with them and let them know how the Settlement operated. She would tell them about the bargain that was struck between John and Badger. They were to be informed about duties such as work details and about the Council; Valarie would also make the point that leadership of the Settlement was currently shifting and though there was a shift, they were still safe. Their first priority was to be alert to the possibility of an attack.

Sitting away from everyone else was Carl and Jahnee; he sat with his legs crossed and she with her knees pulled to her chest. Michonne took in the scene as both teens appeared not to be talking. She felt a sense of pride deep inside from knowing just how strong and capable Carl was. Even now, he was there for his friend. The world could be so cruel and the worst thing was for one to have to face that cruelty alone.

Michonne held Judith tighter. Judith clung to Michonne as the woman securely rocked the small girl until she was almost ready to drift off into sleep. Shaking her head free of the horrific thoughts for a moment, she hummed a tune to Judith that she used to sing and hum to her own son; the words were in her mind but she was unable to form them with her mouth.

_Jesus loves me, this I know for the bible tells me so_

Michonne's tired, heavy eyes watered slightly as she thought about the number of times she had sang that song to André when he was restless.

_Little ones to him belong, they are weak but he is strong_

A tear rolled down her cheek as Judith's breathing became steady for she was now sleeping; Michonne wiped the evidence of her sorrow away and kissed the slumbering child before placing her gently down to the mattress she would be sharing with her older brother.

Michonne extinguished their lantern, moved to lie just behind Judith and wrapped her in an embrace; kissing the child on top of her head once again. She listened to the small girl's sound breathing and inhaled the scent of apple shampoo. Out of either sadness or weariness, Michonne closed her eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

Night fell quickly as Rick and Peter; Daryl and Glenn; Sasha and Bob; and four other Settlement residents were on sentry duty. Daryl and Glenn were in the offsite sentry posts while Sasha, Bob and the others did sweeping perimeter checks; Rick and Peter sat at the main gates together discussing their next moves.

They agreed that weapons and combat training would continue the following day right after a Council meeting; they would also continue to double the guard.

"We don't really have any idea what's comin', do we?" Peter asked of Rick as they sat out of the moonlight.

"No, we don't," Rick started. "You take away something that people have been used to for a time and then everything goes to shit; that's the thing we can understand. The rest, like how people are gonna act when things go shitty, that's what we can't be sure of."

Peter nodded and stared back out into the darkness.

"Maybe it'll all be okay," Rick continued. "Maybe they, whoever they are, won't give a fuck that their sick little enterprise has fallen to the wayside. But I don't think it's gonna go that smoothly. How many other communities like ours were given protection from Badger and his men? And who the hell were they protectin' us from? That's what I wanna know."

* * *

It was midnight by the time Peter and Rick finished their shifts. They met two other residents who were keeping watch at the doors of the gym and told them they would need to wake those who were relieving them in two hours.

Rick tread lightly as he entered the gym; he looked over into the corner where his family had set up their area. Michonne and Carl were asleep either side of Judith. He smiled to himself, thankful that they were safe; steadfast in his promise that he would keep them safe. Rick walked over to them, removed his holster and weapons and sat down behind Michonne quietly; she immediately woke up and turned to him.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered, now lying down behind her flat on the ground as the children were taking up much space on both small mattresses; they were head-to-feet. She shrugged it off.

Michonne shifted so that she was sitting and then moved so that she and Rick were facing one another; she gave him her pillow and rested her head on his chest while pulling the thin blanket she had been using over them. Rick draped his arm over Michonne and kissed her forehead. She placed her arm over his abdomen and listened to the steady sound of Rick's heart beating. The rise and fall of his chest on account of his rhythmic breathing comforted Michonne. She felt as if she would float back into her slumber at any moment; the only thing keeping her awake was Rick. She could feel that he was full of worry; his body was tense under her touch. She lifted her head and spoke close to his ear.

"You should try to sleep, Rick. You need the rest."

He smiled at her concern.

"I know," he whispered. "Just findin' it hard to relax."

Rick ran his thumb up and down Michonne's arm gently, soothingly. He was doing all he could to lull her back into sleep and she stifled a yawn; she knew exactly what he was doing. She then shifted so that she was closer to Rick's face; she kissed his jaw before moving to his mouth. Michonne had only meant for it to be a soft, chaste kiss to show Rick that she appreciated everything he had done for them, but soon it turned more passionate. Michonne leaned over Rick and the two kissed deeply, sensually and ardently in the dark. She trailed her hand over his chest and moved down to palm his crotch; she rubbed him through his jeans and Rick grew hard under her touch.

Rick pulled away a moment.

"If you keep doin' that I won't be able to sleep at all." He joked.

"Sorry," Michonne whispered, ceasing her ministrations. "You want me to stop?"

"No," said Rick with a husky voice; Michonne laughed slightly.

"You sure?" she asked.

"Yeah."

She nodded and then undid the button and zipper of Rick's jeans. They shared another kiss as Michonne reached into Rick's trousers and found his hardness. His eyes rolled shut as her hands worked up and down his length; she continued to kiss him to smother his moans. Understanding that Rick needed some form of release, Michonne gripped his shaft tightly and worked her hands swiftly; edging him closer to his climax with each deft stroke.

Several minutes passed as Rick focussed on controlling his breathing while she strummed him again and again; his tip began to drip as he felt the tightness building up in his lower region. He was close and Michonne knew it; she paid attention to his knob quickly rubbing it before offering a few slower strokes down his entire length. Rick choked back a whimper as his manhood shuddered and his seed shot out in a steady stream; dripping hot onto Michonne's hand and onto his bare stomach.

* * *

The Council meeting ended quickly and without any trouble; everyone, it seemed, was on the same page about what needed to be done. Rick and a few members of their group as well as Peter were handling the weapons and combat training. Michonne, Carol and Tyreese were helping Valarie with the children who were to remain inside or close to the gym. Bob, Maggie and Beth were assisting in the Infirmary. They were helping to make bandages from bedsheets and packed away important medication and medical equipment so that it could be moved into the central area in the gym. Everyone had a job to do.

Carl and Jahnee were standing next to their fathers as the two men gave instructions to the small group of amateurs. The group of people were only allowed three shots of a silenced pistol each and most of the training was in how to effectively aim, load and fire a gun; they only got to fire thrice because they needed to conserve ammunition.

There was a bunch of useful sports and boxing equipment in storage that they made use of. Daryl and Sasha were training the people in where and how to strike at walkers as well as other people. Carl and Rick watched everyone a moment; Peter and Jahnee handed out a few pistols to those who needed to practice.

"What should I do?" asked Carl as he noticed everyone had something to occupy themselves with.

"Help me and Peter. Show some of the younger people how to stand and aim. Look, go over and help Jahnee," said Rick; noticing the girl was refraining from training, though she was helping her father.

Carl nodded and approached his friend. The girl held out a pistol to Carl as she offered him a small smile. The boy shook his head.

"My dad said to come and help you with learning to shoot. I mean, if you wanted to or whatever," Carl said.

"I'd like that," she said quietly.

Carl noticed that there was a change in her since they had been abducted; she had hardly spoken the night before and he was worried about her. He gestured for her to step away from the others as they made their way to the end of the line. Now Carl took the pistol from her.

"Okay," he started. "First, this is where you check for bullets; you use your thumb and press here."

Carl explained as he held the firearm's loaded magazine in his hand and pushed down on the bullets that were already inside of it. Jahnee watched on in silence; she was not at all surprized that Carl would be here helping to teach the others about guns. The teenager knew a lot.

"Now you push it in here; cock it, and you've got one in the chamber," he said as he handed the gun back to Jahnee.

"Right, now you gotta aim for those tins set up over there. So make sure you support the butt with your other hand; relax your shoulders…lift it a little…good, now stand with your feed wide like your shoulders…hold on. Jahnee, hold on…"

Carl stepped behind her, placed one hand to her shoulder and the other at her hip. Suddenly, Jahnee flinched and recoiled from Carl's touch. Flashes of her assault invade her mind for a brief moment as she recalled the smell of Roger's breath and the way his grimy hands touched her. Fear registered on her face for a second as Carl looked questioningly at her. He moved to place a comforting hand to her upper arm but Jahnee stepped away.

"I'm sorry," was all she said as she let the pistol fall to the ground before she hurriedly walked away.

* * *

By lunchtime, Carl had sought out Michonne; she was still inside the gym and feeding Judith. The teen ambled over and asked Michonne if he could speak with her outside a moment; Michonne obliged and asked that Carol watch after Judith. Once they were just outside of the gym, Carl began to speak.

"Can I tell you something?" he queried.

"Of course. Anything," Michonne replied.

"It's Jahnee; I'm worried about her. Today she didn't want me to touch her…

"What do you mean by touch her?" interjected Michonne.

"Nothing like that. I mean, when we were doing the weapons training; I was trying to show her how to stand, and I put my hands on her to shift her, and she kind of freaked out. Like, she flinched and looked scared and stepped away. Did I do something wrong, or what?" said Carl.

Michonne sighed; and then gestured for the boy to sit with her.

"Carl, what happened when we were taken, it's a very scary thing. You have to remember Jahnee isn't used to seeing some of the things that we've seen; some of the things we've been through ourselves," Michonne said, referring to the night they were attacked by Joe and his group when she and Carl were both almost sexually assaulted.

"What happened to us, what _almost_ happened to us out on the road, Jahnee hasn't had to deal with any of that. She's been protected behind these walls. So, from what you told me, that man tried to hurt her, and he nearly succeeded. She's had time to think about it; and it's not a very nice thing to have in your mind."

Carl nodded, knowing exactly how it felt; he was glad in a way that they faced danger constantly so he did not have time to dwell on his own attack.

"What should I do?" he asked. "I want to help her move on from it. We survived. I want her to see that it's a good thing."

"There may not be anything you can do, buddy. I mean, you should talk to Jahnee; ask her if she's okay. She might want to talk, she might need more time. But definitely let her know you're there for her," Michonne said.

"Does her mom and dad know what almost happened?" Carl then asked.

Michonne nodded.

"Yeah, Rick told Peter."

They went quiet a moment.

"So I should try to talk to her then?" He clarified.

"Yes. Where is she?"

"She headed towards the Infirmary," he answered.

"Okay. Ask her if there's anything you can do to help her, and give her space if she needs it; overall, Carl, you gotta be patient with her and not take it personally. She's your friend; she appreciates you and cares about you, but you should be ready if she lashes out. Sometimes, it's good to scream and shout. Just remember, she doesn't blame you. People deal in different ways."

Carl nodded and smiled as they both noticed Rick headed their way; Rick's serious expression faded away as he drew closer to them.

"Food's almost ready at the Pit," said Rick, referring to the communal cooking area that the Settlement used when trying to conserve rations.

Just then, one of the young women who was on sentry duty at the main gate came running towards the family.

"Mr. Grimes!" she called out. "Come quick!"

Rick looked at Michonne and then followed along behind the woman; Carl and Michonne took off after him as well. When they all reached the gate, there was a man kneeling down on the ground with his hands behind his head while Glenn pointed a gun at him and another young man searched him before moving onto his backpack.

"How did he get in?" asked Rick.

"He walked up to the gate and asked for sanctuary," the woman explained.

Rick stepped closer and gestured for Glenn to lower his weapon as the man lifted his head and their eyes met.

"Rick?" the apparent stranger asked as he let his hand fall at his side.

"Morgan?" replied Rick as he gestured for him to stand.

The men stared at each other cautiously before Morgan extended his hand for Rick to shake; he took it tentatively and shook firmly.

"I can't believe it's you. I can't believe you're here. When things got bad, I went to that prison you said you were stayin' at; it was overrun. I thought you were dead," he said with a relieved smile.

"How long were you out there?" Rick asked.

"Too long," said Morgan.

"Well I sure am happy to see you," Rick offered sincerely as he clapped his friend on the back.

"I don't come with good tidings, though," Morgan said as he lowered his head.

"What do you mean?" asked Rick.

"Trouble's comin' your way."


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: Sorry for the wait on this one. I've not been feeling well lately. This is really short with no action, but building up to what's to come.

Kimyso: Michonne is still preggers. I don't know if there's a standard way that pregnant women act, but my grandmother, when she still lived on her tribal lands, walked miles every day while heavily pregnant and also gave birth to two of her children under a tree without a doctor or western medicine, so I'd like to think that at the end of the world, people would just go back to the way things were! Hehehe

Okay, picking up where we left off.

* * *

"What trouble?" asked Rick as they moved away from the gates and walked in the direction of the administration building.

Morgan looked at his friend and the others who were walking with them; he went to answer but the woman who looked vaguely familiar interjected before moving any further.

"Rick, what do you want me to do?" Michonne asked.

Rick stopped as well and placed both hands to her shoulders as he leaned in to speak to her.

"Take Carl and go back to the gym with Judith. Tell everyone to be on alert until we hear somethin'. Don't worry; we'll sort this out," he offered.

Right away, Michonne and Carl retreated back to where the children were waiting. Rick and Morgan continued on their way.

…..

Peter, Melanie Sasha, Sara and Daryl stood in front of Rick and Morgan.

"We haven't had that much time to discuss it, but do you think we could put some of the new procedures in place; especially the one for allowing new people to stay?" Rick asked.

The group came to a consensus and agreed that they would initiate the protocols now with the arrival of Rick's friend. Everyone took a seat at the boardroom table.

"So, I guess I'll get started then," said Melanie. "How many walkers have you killed?"

"Too many to count," Morgan answered. "Hundreds maybe."

"How many people have you killed?"

"I couldn't say. I set traps to keep people away and a lot of people died," he said in earnest.

"Why?" asked Sasha. "Why did you set traps for people?"

Morgan looked at Rick and then back at the others in the group.

"Because I was sick."

…..

"I spent a lot of time wandering around," Morgan began. "Just tryin' to find my next meal; tryin' to stay alive."

The Council members nodded as they listened to him retell what he had seen in the past day or so.

"What brought you this way?" asked Daryl.

"I was headed towards the coast. Figured it was as good a place as any to travel to. See what I could see," Morgan answered coolly. "It was around a day ago that I came up on a burnt out farmhouse."

_Several hours ago…_

Morgan Jones rested a while in a clearing; he set his backpack down close to his right foot, opened the zipper and retrieved a can of creamed corn which he opened crudely with his hunting knife. He could still smell the smoke from the burnt out farmhouse faintly; he was not sure if it was wafting in the air or if it had saturated his clothing.

When he thought back to what he had stumbled upon, the indistinguishable charred remains of walkers and humans with bullet holes in their heads, he could tell that a large number of people had died there. He knew that a battle had been fought but what he did not know was if the ones who had lost their lives and home to flames and bullets were the 'bad guys' in all of this. Morgan knew all too well that in the world that they had inherited, the lines between good and bad were not always unequivocal.

Morgan sat on a log preparing his meal for the evening; he had covered much ground but had lost the light quickly. He decided to bed down in a clearing he had found. He strung up some wire and noisy objects to warn against walkers and sat in front of his small fire. Not too long after, he was alerted to a sound coming from his right; he was somewhat surprised to see a teenaged girl looking lost and slightly disoriented.

"Please help me," she whispered.

Morgan straightened his back as he searched the areas to her sides and to a lesser degree behind her. She seemed to be alone. Her clothes were torn and tattered though she looked as though she had been eating well.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

She swallowed hard before she answered.

"I wandered away from my camp and I don't know how to get back. Can you help me?" the girl queried.

Morgan nodded and gestured for her to step forward slightly.

"What's your name?" he asked, offering the teen a seat.

"I'm Cynthia," she replied.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a gun being cocked as Morgan felt the cold steel against his temple.

"And I'm Owen, so don't fuckin' move!" said the voice of a man from beside him.

Morgan sat in silence and stayed very still.

"What do you have in the way of weapons?" the one named Owen asked.

"I only have this staff," Morgan replied as he pointed to the long stick that lie at his feet.

"Check his bag," Owen said to Cynthia as she scooped up the backpack and started to rifle through it.

"Nothin' much in here 'cept a knife and some tools," she offered as she zipped the bag up and placed it onto her back.

"Well, ain't you just completely worthless?" Owen asked, not expecting an answer. "So before I shoot ya, tell me one thing; did you have anything to do with burnin' our home down and killin' our kin folk?"

"I saw the burnt out farmhouse," said Morgan earnestly. "But I don't know what happened to your people."

The two strangers exchanged glances before the man spoke once more.

"Are you from the Settlement?" Owen queried.

"Which settlement?" asked Morgan in a state of confusion.

"You know, the place at the old high school called the Settlement. You must know it if you're wanderin' around these parts 'cause you sure as shit don't look familiar to us," said Cynthia.

"I assure you, I don't know this place you're talkin' about," Morgan proffered.

"So you don't know that asshole, Rick Grimes then?" Cynthia asked with a look of disdain on her face.

Morgan did well to hide his recognition at the mention of that name.

"No. I don't know who that is," he said.

"Don't matter either way," said Owen. "We're gonna kill you _and _him."

Before he could pull the trigger of the pistol pointed to Morgan's head, Morgan scooped up his staff in one swift movement, swung it and struck the side of the young man's face, effectively causing him to drop his weapon to shield himself.

"Nobody's dying anytime soon," Morgan said firmly.

XxXxX

_Present day_

"So let me get this right," said Rick. "You let them live?"

"Yes," offered Morgan. "I let them live."

"They threatened to _kill_ you and you walked away from 'em while they were breathin'?" asked Rick incredulously.

He nodded in the affirmative as Rick stepped into his personal space. Both men stared each other down a moment before Morgan raised his hands in surrender, noting the ire in Rick's eyes.

"I'm not doin' this with you right now, Rick," he conceded before turning to step away.

"Don't fuckin' walk away from me!" Rick ordered as he grabbed his friend by the shoulder, causing the man to turn.

"Get your hands off me!" said Morgan as he hit Rick's hand away. "You don't get to tell me that I should or should not be killin' people."

"These _people _tried to hurt my family!" said Rick. "I'll vouch for you, you can stay only because you saved my life at the start; but just know if they do show up, I'm killin' every last one of 'em so do _not_ get in my way."

xXxXx

Michonne, overcome with worry, sat inside the gym beside a sleeping Judith; she watched Carl as he sat with Noah and his small brother, Briley. Many of the children who were held captive were malnourished and injured. Staff at the Infirmary had done their best to patch them up, but Michonne knew their healing would take longer than just what was physical.

Doctor Buckley was making his rounds once again, ensuring that the new comers were receiving medication and rest; when he stepped close to Carl and Noah, Briley let out a frightful scream. The shriek pierced the air and shot through Michonne as it drew her back to a memory of not so long ago…

_In a rush of bullets and screams, Michonne ran frantically in the direction of where her family's tent was situated at the refugee camp. Their friend Terry sluggishly stepped in front of her._

_"__Where's my son? Where's André?" she yelled, searching the surrounding area. _

_She could see that Terry had been bitten; his eyes were glazed over and she knew that he was high._

_"__Where is he!" she screeched loudly as she grabbed Terry's collar and shook him violently._

_"__We fucked up," was all the man could say as he sobbed._

_Michonne let him go and made her way to their tent; the ringing in her ears cancelling out the frenzy of sound that surrounded her in amidst the fear and panic when it was discovered that the camp was overrun by walkers. Her legs felt heavy as she approached slowly; she found Mike, bitten and covered in blood, sitting on the hard ground a few yards from their tent. Michonne moved forward cautiously as she felt the tears streaming from her eyes and reached forward to pull back the cover flap slowly. Inside, she found a white bloodstained sheet wrapped tightly around her son's small, lifeless body._

…..

"Mimi," said Judith as she tapped Michonne's leg. "Mimi."

Michonne was shaken from her brutal reverie, tears welling in her eyes as her heart ached once again for André. Judith crawled up into Michonne's lap and hugged her; woken from her slumber by Briley's crying and Michonne's soft sobbing.

"Hey, Baby Girl," she said as she placed a gentle kiss to Judith head. "It's okay. Everything will be okay."

xXxXx

Rick walked back to the gym in the early hours of the morning after having finished watch duties. His mind was awash with worries for the safety of their home now that he had learned Badger's people had some idea he was responsible for the destruction of their compound. Rick tread carefully as he crept over to where his family slept. Carl and Judith slept on one mattress while Michonne lay on her side on the other. Rick slid in behind her so he could rest his hand over her small bump where their child was still growing. Michonne was deep in a troubled sleep as her body jerked several times; Rick hushed her and rubbed her abdomen soothingly. She ceased her involuntary movements but spoke as clear as day through her light sobs; she spoke only one word.

"André."

* * *

A/N: Getting back to the action in the next instalment. Thanks for dropping by!


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: Hi everyone. Well, now we're going to see some more action!

Warning: character deaths

* * *

Maggie shifted the tow truck into first gear, eased off the clutch and pressed the gas pedal steadily; the truck moved forward slowly from the weight of the rundown car that was attached to its back. The two flat back tyres made the task tedious as Maggie pulled the vehicle into position. She, Glenn and Bob were tasked with setting up old cars along the roads that led to the Settlement as roadblocks should there be an attempt to attack them by driving up.

It was early in the morning, or late in the night, whichever way one looked at it; the three were tired but were determined to get the task done under the cover of darkness. The news that Morgan Jones brought the day before cemented what the residents of the Settlement feared; there would be retribution for their attack on Badger's camp.

"That's it," said Bob as he gestured for Maggie to come to a stop.

She lowered the car like she had done to the numerous others that night and Glenn and Bob set about unlatching it, trying to keep their flashlight use to a minimum. Once the car was separated from the truck, Maggie drove it back onto the road and Glenn climbed into the passenger seat beside her; Bob took a seat on the back tray and settled in securely.

They drove a little way up the vacant street when suddenly the sound of a gun being fired got their attention. After a second, Bob's blood covered hand tapped on the back window in warning before sliding slowly out of view.

* * *

The sun had not yet graced the morning sky when the large pick-up truck crashed through the fence closest to the basketball courts at the Settlement. The sound of gunfire rang out into the still morning air as those posted on sentry duty returned the fire.

Rick was drawn from his light slumber and quickly sat up when he heard the shots; he, Peter, Morgan, Carol and a number of others found their weapons and hurried towards the exit. Slowly but surely, others had awoken to the dread that they were preparing for; an attack. Rick gave Michonne a quick glance before he left.

It was difficult to see in the darkness, but Rick and Peter saw the muzzle flashes of several firearms near the ball courts; they could not tell if it was their people or intruders.

"Stay close and in the formation we practiced," Rick ordered the group of nearly twenty. "We gotta get closer."

With that they advanced on the scene; they quickly ascertained that the intruders were firing from behind the truck they had used to crash through the wire fencing. Sasha and a few other residents were returning fire when Rick and the others arrived.

"How many?" he asked, aiming his gun at the vehicle before letting off a round.

"Hard to say," Sasha replied. "But they've got some serious hardware."

Rick listened to the high pitched sound of a precision military grade rifle being fired as a young woman next to him fell to the ground from being hit. Another resident checked her, but she was dead; the firing continued.

Peter radioed to Daryl who was on watch at the main gate.

"Stay where you are," said Peter. "This might be a distraction; Carol and a group are on their way to you."

"You sure y'all got it covered at that end?" asked Daryl through the sound of a flurry of bullets.

"I think so," Peter answered. "Keep an eye out in case others are thinkin' of sneakin' in."

"Copy that," said Daryl.

"We need some cover!" yelled Rick as he loaded another magazine into his rifle and fired again.

Several people from their group went behind a small brick wall while Rick and some others flipped a number of metal picnic tables onto their sides. One of the intruders went to reload his weapon when he felt a sharp pain pierce his neck; he let out a bellow as a walker, attracted by the sound of bullets ambled into the yard with a number of others behind it.

* * *

Michonne, Tyreese, Valarie and Carl made sure that the children and newcomers were all gathered towards the end of the gym away from the main entrance. Carl checked all of the doors again while Valarie, Tyreese, Jahnee and Noah barricaded the front door using gymnastics equipment. Beth and Michonne sat with the children and tried to keep them calm as the gunfight outside continued.

"I should be out there helping," said Carl to Jahnee as he paced back and forth.

The sound of shooting had lessened as a scream pierced the early morning air; Carl looked at Michonne towards the back of the room and she shook her head.

"We need you here," said Jahnee quietly, holding his gaze before walking over to the wall to sit down.

The fear in her eyes struck a chord within Carl and he stopped still; as much as he wanted to be by his father's side defending their home, he knew he had a duty to those who could not defend themselves as well as he could.

Carl steadied his breathing, placed his hands in his pockets and made his way over to Jahnee.

"It's okay," said Carl as he slid down to sit beside her. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

The bullets ceased flying in the direction of Rick and the other residents as the intruders now focussed their attentions to the growing number of walkers that were about to surround them. One man was taken down as another was bitten on the arm; Rick saw his opportunity and called for his people to follow.

"Save your ammo!" Rick yelled as he sprinted with his red handled machete. "Take 'em all out!"

Morgan did not advance on the intruders, but opted to deal with walkers; this did not go unnoticed by Rick. He got closer to where their new found enemies were fighting off the walker attack and then swung his heavy blade until it met the rotted skull of one of the walkers. The blade cracked its head open as it fell to the ground; the man whom it was gripping onto looked surprised at Rick before he spoke.

"Y-you saved me?" he stammered disbelievingly.

"No," said Rick. "I didn't."

He then used his machete to do the same thing to the man that he had done to the walker; a swift blade to the head. The gate crasher fell unceremoniously just as the walking corpse did. Rick moved to the next man and took care of him, the rest of their group, barring Morgan, followed suit. Soon there were no intruders left standing to deal with, only walkers; they were relentless in entering the breach in the fence.

Peter cut down as many walkers as he could while covering Rick who headed towards the truck that had crashed through their fence; Rick started the engine and then moved the vehicle in front of the gaping hole; the sound of corpses crunched under the wheels. This slowed the walkers, but some were still managing to gain entry where the structure was presently irreparably damaged. As the residents put down two or three, another two would clamber through the gaps.

The sun began to break through the trees and the aftermath of their efforts was seen to be littering the ground. The smell of rotting corpses was something that they had become accustomed to; as was the feeling of blood on their hands. They seemed to be making strides as walkers fell; Peter used the radio to call for an update from Daryl.

"How is it on your end?" he asked as he cut down another walker.

"A couple o' assholes tried to sneak in," Daryl offered slightly out of breath. "We caught 'em."

"Good," said Peter. "Take 'em to the lock up, have someone stay there and the rest of you get your asses over here; there's a breach in the fence and walkers are everywhere."

"On our way," said Daryl.

…..

Michonne walked hurriedly to the door when she heard the three clear raps; Tyreese flowed behind her. She softly whistled a short tune that they usually did when on the outside or on a run; the person at the other side answered the almost indistinguishable sound.

"It's me, Carol," the woman called out.

Carl jumped to his feet to help Michonne and Tyreese move the object blocking the door.

"What happened out there?" Michonne asked as they met Carol at the door.

"They attacked us by ramming a hole in the fence. We handled them, but it's the walkers now," she said. "We're gonna need some help."

Michonne and Carl looked at one another.

"Go," she said. "I'll stay with Judy."

Carl then looked at Jahnee who was still leaning against the wall; she then stood and walked over.

"I wanna help," she said with a serious look.

"Go ask your mother," Michonne advised before walking back to where the children were gathered.

Carol stepped inside of the gym and put her head down; she walked away from the door and Michonne knew she wanted her to follow.

"What's wrong?" the younger of the two women asked.

"It's Maggie, Glenn and Bob," she said as Michonne felt her stomach drop. "They were ambushed on their run earlier…"

"But they're back now?" Michonne asked Carol.

She nodded.

"Yeah, but Bob didn't make it."

…..

Carl, Tyreese, Jahnee and Valarie all made their way out to where the battle had just ended. The mother and daughter looked as if they were going to be sick from the putrid smell and the sight of dead bodies. Tyreese and Valarie tended to the injured while Carl and Jahnee made sure the felled walkers were completely dead as they made their way towards the fence breach. Using jagged pieces of metal, the teens assisted in dispatching the walkers; Carl did what he needed to do but kept an eye on his friend.

Rick and Morgan plus a few others continued to handle the walkers while Daryl and Sasha found objects to block the gaps; right then, the picnic tables were holding the walkers at bay. As soon as they cut down the walkers and reinforced the fence, the immediate dangers passed.

"So," said Morgan, ever-worried about the preservation of life. "What are we gonna do with our prisoners?"

"First, we bury our dead," said Rick as the throbbing in his head intensified.

"And then?" asked Morgan.

Rick did not have the energy to answer; they had lost people that day, good people. He could not help but think if Morgan had have dealt with those dangerous people when he had the chance, maybe the Settlement would not have sustained those losses.

"They can wait. Hell, they can rot for all I care; right now, my people need time to regroup and then grieve," said Rick as he walked away.

* * *

The mood at the Settlement was sombre and quiet by the time night had fallen once more; their dead were buried and everyone had said their goodbyes. They all dealt with the losses in their own way; some held onto their loved ones inside the thick air of the gym; others cried in a corner on their own while a few held their tears inside. Rick kept busy by keeping his people focussed. Michonne and Rosita sat with Sasha in silence; she did not say anything to them but they knew she appreciated the gesture all the same.

Michonne watched Rick as he and the other Council members discussed what their next moves would be; the determination in his face covered the sadness and regret that she knew lay just below the surface. They were tired of people dying and afraid of what was yet to come. Plans were set in place for a run to leave in the next few days to gather supplies to repair the damaged fence properly. She knew that Rick would want to go and that only added fuel to her worry. They had no idea if the events of the day would be the only attack they would face; they had no idea if the people now locked away as their prisoners were all that were left or if more would come to mount a rescue. Michonne knew if her worry was anything to measure it by, that Rick's would be double. She waited a moment longer, excused herself from Sasha and Rosita and then approached him.

Rick finished telling Daryl to check one of the vehicles over in the morning as he was ready to take first watch. Once Rick and Michonne were alone, he stepped towards her and drew her into an embrace. She could feel his tension slip away as she wrapped her arms around him in kind; they said nothing but she knew what the gesture meant. Rick was pleased that she was safe, and yet he was scared at the thought of losing her just as easily as they had lost Bob.

Michonne stroked his hair and whispered in his ear.

"It's okay," she said. "We'll get through this too."

He stared into her eyes before gently kissing her mouth.

"I know," he said. "I love you."

"I love you too," she replied before hugging him again.

Rick looked over at the occupants of the gym, then back at Michonne before he left to take up another sentry duty; it was going to be a long night once again.

* * *

_His laughter wafted through her reverie and brought with it a light that she had not seen in some time; a familiar warmth that filled her being and danced all around her. His cherub face made her heart swell as his striking, dark brown eyes lit up when he smiled. She reached out for him; she longed for one more embrace. With outstretched arms she held her breath as her fingertips neared her beautiful baby, and then, as quickly as he appeared in her dream, André was gone and everything went dark._

Michonne woke with such a terrible aching in her heart that the tears had already fallen while she slept. She whimpered as she pressed her hand to her chest; her breathing was rapid and her body shook. She jumped and then covered her mouth with her hand as if to hold back her sobs when she felt Rick's arm encircle her waist. He drew her body close to his and took hold of her trembling hand before pressing a kiss to it.

"Shhh," Rick whispered to Michonne. "It's okay. You were dreaming."

She could not speak as visions of her dream flashed in her mind's eye.

"I got you," said Rick while he gently soothed her.

She turned to face him as he held her tighter still and kissed her forehead.

"You don't have to say anything now because you're upset," he whispered. "But later, if you want to, can you tell me who André is?"


	41. Chapter 41

A/N: Hi all! The first part of this instalment is a flashback two months after the Turn; we get to see what happened with Michonne. This steps away from what's going on with the wider community and focusses on Rick and Michonne. It was tough to write…

Warning: graphic scenes of violence and gore

* * *

As the days and weeks passed, Michonne barely noticed how rough the ground was below her and her family as they slept. She was always an early riser and the apocalypse did not change that; she stretched out in the dim light of the morning and reached her hand over to where her son was soundly sleeping. The rise and fall of his little chest and his soft breathing had a calming influence on her. No matter what the world threw at Michonne, she knew she could make it; if not for herself, but for her André.

She smiled over at her child before shifting and sitting up; she remained quiet so as not to wake him or Mike and pulled on her boots. Without looking, she searched for her katana and when her hand fell on the weapon, she picked it up and crept out of the tent.

The morning air was crisp and cool, though the day was going to be warm. Michonne drank from her canteen before splashing her face with some water to help stave off the remnants of her lethargy. After drying her hands on her pants, she proceeded to do some stretching. After Michonne felt warmed up, she made her way into a small clearing and unsheathed her katana.

The frightfully sharp blade cut through the morning air as Michonne practised several movements; while she had had no formal weapons training, she had a keen interest in combat, especially from the East and had undertaken a few beginners martial arts classes. She had always stayed in shape and enjoyed being physical and used the time now to hone her sword skills as well as get a workout done. Sometimes, a few stragglers would amble past the small camp and Michonne would quickly cut them down.

She always remained focussed the task at hand, and sometimes was unaware of how much time had gone by. That was until she heard André calling to her when Mike brought him over. Michonne would smile at her boy and finish up her training. André ran over to his mother and she scooped him up into her arms as they walked back to the meal area. Breakfast was served at the same time every morning and her family always ate together. Michonne never let her son out of her sight unless she was fighting off walkers or on a run; that day, she was scheduled to go on a supply run.

…..

The small child had come down with a cough and his mother was adamant that she would go on the run to procure some medicine to quell his fever. Mike watched as she grabbed her backpack and placed a bottle of water inside of it.

"You know, maybe it wouldn't be so bad," he said, staring at Michonne who stopped to glance at him.

"What wouldn't be so bad?" she asked, knowing where the conversation was heading to again.

"If we just stopped trying," he said despondently.

Mike had always suffered from bouts of depression, and the end of the world did not help; the darkness was continually washing over him and it had become harder for Michonne to deal with.

"Not an option," said Michonne as she stood and threw the bag over her shoulder near her sword.

"No one's coming to help us," he said miserably.

"Which is why we help ourselves," replied Michonne, already growing tired of his pessimism for one day.

"Maybe it's best if Dre doesn't…"

"If he doesn't what?" snapped Michonne. "If he doesn't make it? How can you stand to talk like that about our son?"

"I'm just sayin' that this isn't the best place for a kid to be growing up. Whatever happens is probably meant to happen. If we make it, that's great; if we don't make it, then it was meant to be."

"No," she replied. "We _make it_ because we try. We make it because we fight; we don't let this world tread all over us."

"What if there's no fight left in me?"

Michonne sighed and backed away.

"Are you still with us, Mike?" she asked, genuinely unsure of his intentions.

"I just don't know if I can do this much longer…"

"Screw you. You gutless piece of shit," she said quietly as she moved away farther from him.

"What?" asked Mike.

"I can't believe you sometimes. Looking at our son, at me, that should be all you need to want to keep going, to keep fighting," she said, holding back the tears of anger and frustration; as well as heartbreak.

She knew her feelings for Mike had changed; he had become more of who he really was at the end of the world; small and selfish. Michonne had done all she could to protect him, their son and friend Terry. It seemed as if all she had done was not good enough; she resigned herself to the belief that those who do not want to change cannot be helped. She waited for Mike to respond; he did not.

Terry brought André over and Michonne took her son into her arms; she gave Mike one last disapproving look and then turned her attention to her son.

"You be a good boy while Mama's gone, okay?" she said.

André nodded his head.

"I love you, Peanut," she whispered as she kissed his cherub face.

"Love you, Mama," the boy replied as he held on to his mother lovingly.

…..

"You sure have gotten good with that sword, Michonne," said Stacy as they finished dispatching the small group of walkers that had approached them in the deserted street.

The swordswoman flicked her wrist and simultaneously cleaned the blade of the katana.

"It's been easier than having a gun," said Michonne. "I don't have to worry about conserving ammo. It's quick, quiet and gets the job done."

"Good find," said Sean. "Wish I'd have stumbled across somethin' like that. This machete ain't that good."

"Maybe we can have a better look for more weapons next time we come back to town," Stacy said.

"Yeah, if these groups of walkers don't become too much of a threat. Seems like they're travelling in packs more and more," said Michonne.

Her two companions nodded their heads.

"Yeah, why is that? It's making it harder to take 'em down," said the young woman.

"Not too sure. I mean we've all gravitated towards groups for our survival. Who knows what they're thinkin, if they think at all," said Sean.

"Okay, let's get going," Michonne said, not wanting to be gone any longer than they needed to; the others followed along behind her as they made their way to the vehicle.

…..

Michonne, Stacy and Sean were in the car that was fast approaching their camp; they were all in high spirits after being on a successful run. While it had taken up most of the day, they had secured enough food and ammunition to live comfortably for the next few weeks. Their small group of twelve people would be safe and fed for the time being; Michonne had found medicine for André as well so that was one less thing for her to worry about.

The car, being driven by Sean, came closer to the clearing where they had set up their camp; as they neared the area, Michonne sensed immediately that something was amiss. Usually there were members of their group wandering around the small camp keeping busy with whatever task they were assigned, now the camp seemed deserted.

They stopped where they normally parked and got out of the vehicle; Michonne grabbed weapon, fixed it to her back and stood with her hands at her hips. It took a moment to notice the walker that was crouched over and gnawing on the leg of someone.

"Shit!" called Michonne to the others who were retrieving the supplies. "There was an attack!"

She wasted no more time as she ran towards the scene; she drew the sword from its sheath and swung it at the walker's head, lopping the top of its skull off and rendering it dead. Michonne pulled the limp body away from the person only to find that their throat had been torn out. She was in shock, but felt a deeper sense of dread wash over her.

"André," she whispered.

Sprinting in the direction of her family's tents, Michonne's heart was racing and her mind blank; she passed dead bodies on her way and cut down a few walkers, but it was as if she were outside of her body. It was as if it was all some frightful dream; a dream that turned to a nightmare when she reached the area where her family stayed.

The tent had collapsed and their belongings were strewn everywhere. Mike and Terry sat on the ground staring off into the distance; they were covered in blood and were shaky. Michonne fell to her knees in front of them.

"What happened? Where's André?" she asked, tears streaming down her face.

"The…the walkers came," said Terry. "We're fucked! We got bit!"

Michonne pressed her hands to her face as Terry pressed the small glass pipe to his lips and drew in the toxic smoke. The methamphetamine eased his discomfort slightly; Michonne wanted to vomit when she saw the state that they were both in. She knew they had gotten high once more; her heart sank deeper.

"Where's my son?" she asked, looking at Mike's arm where he was bitten.

Mike's head fell as he rested it to his knees and sobbed.

"I couldn't save him…I couldn't save him…" he repeated as he rocked back and forth.

"Where is he!" she screamed, causing Mike to lift his head; he looked straight through her.

"There," was all he said as he gestured with his head to a place behind them.

Shakily, Michonne stood and narrowed her eyes; several yards behind where Mike and Terry sat was a small bulge covered by a torn, bloodstained sheet. A large lump formed in her throat and her feet were heavy as she approached; her heart felt as if it had stopped beating. The tears fell as quickly as Michonne blinked them away as she reached for the sheet and drew it back. All of the air was forced from her body so that when she tried to scream no sound came out. She covered her son's tiny, bloodied body, cursed the heavens above and reached for her sword.

xXxXx

"Michonne," said Stacy softly, her own voice coarse from crying. "We, we should put them down now."

Michonne sat near the mound where André's small, lifeless body was laid to rest. She was covered in dirt, blood and tears as she stared down at his grave. She did not hear the words the younger woman had spoken.

"Michonne?" asked Sean. "We gotta put 'em down."

He stepped closer and pressed a hand to her shoulder, startled, Michonne jumped and pulled away.

"Please, we can't leave them like that," said Stacy of Terry and Mike. "We have to…"

"No," said Michonne, her eyes filled with tears of rage; her lip quivering. "Don't touch them."

"This isn't right…"

"Leave them!" yelled Michonne as she flew up to her feet, sword in hand. "Don't fucking touch them!"

Sean and Stacy stepped back from her, noting the crazed and broken expression she wore as she stared right through them. Her whole body was shaking as she closed her eyes and fell back down to the ground. They looked to where she had tethered the walkers that used to be Mike and Terry to a tree right next to her; she kept them close. Their hearts broke for Michonne as she reached her hand over to her son's grave and rubbed the dirt; crying softly as she whispered his name.

…..

The sun rose and cast its light over the camp; the smell of burned corpses still lingered in the air as Stacy and Sean checked on Michonne. She was still lying on the ground near the spot where they had buried her baby. She did not move when they drew closer to her; she did not blink her tired, stinging eyes.

"Michonne, we were talking and this place isn't safe anymore. We gotta move on," said Stacy softly.

If Michonne had heard her, she did not acknowledge it.

"Please, we need to go," Stacy urged.

"I'm not going anywhere," said Michonne, her voice croaky.

"It isn't safe her anymore," said Sean.

"You should go," she said quietly.

"We're sorry about what happened to your family, but…"

"Just go," said Michonne as she sat up and grabbed hold of her katana.

She stood and looked to where what used to be Mike and Terry were tied up; with one swift motion she swung her blade and cut Mike's left arm from his body. With tears running down her face, Michonne turned back to Stacy and Sean.

"Go!" she yelled, before taking to Terry's walking corpse with the sword.

xXxXx

_Presently_

Michonne felt her body shaking after a minute or so as she became aware of her surroundings once more. She was so lost in retelling that nightmare that she failed to feel Rick's hand grasp hers in a comforting manner; his softly spoken words barely recognizable to her. He shifted his body closer to hers and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he gently pressed his head to hers.

"I'm so sorry you lost him. I'm sorry this happened to you," Rick whispered as he stroked her hair. "I'm so sorry."

He held her tightly until the shaking subsided, wiping her tears away gently until her breathing steadied. Her low sobs became fewer as she took comfort in Rick's embrace. He made her feel safe; he made her feel better. He was the only person she had told her story to in full, and while it hurt to recall her tragedy, she felt lighter for having shared it with him. Rick was like her; he was a fighter, a survivor, and even though their futures were always uncertain, Michonne knew she could trust Rick to do whatever he could to protect their family.

They remained in silence and in each other's arms for an unknown amount of time; Rick had asked not to be disturbed earlier in the day when Michonne said she would explain to him who André was. Now, as she dozed and his mind swam and his heart broke for her, many things about her made sense to him. How she was great with his children, protective and nurturing; how she wanted nothing more than a safe haven for their group; how she had been afraid to open up to him in the beginning. Rick knew then and there that what he had always thought of Michonne was true; she was amazingly resilient and strong. Her heart was large and he knew she deserved happiness; she deserved everything he could offer.

As he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead once again, Rick made a silent promise to always be there for Michonne. He would never, ever let the world tread all over them if he could help it. For as long as she would have him, Rick would be there for her. The kiss drew her from her light slumber as she woke with a start and reached for Rick.

"Shhh, hey. It's okay," he said, drawing her closer to him. "I'm here."

"Rick?" she asked, slightly dazed.

He kissed her once more before whispering: "I'm here. I'm still with you."


	42. Chapter 42

A/N: Hi all. Wow! It's been a while with this one. Thanks for all of the follows and for making this a favourite. We return and it is four months down the track. Rick is giving Carl more responsibility and we get to meet a new person. Enjoy!

* * *

The blade of the large hunting knife penetrated the soft skull of the decomposing creature. Its rotted body fell to the ground with a loud thud as Carl flicked his wrist to clean it of blood, brain matter, and small pieces of bone; he then turned quickly to ensure that Jahnee had dispatched the other roamer. Once Carl was certain and satisfied that she was safe, he gathered up their supplies, handed one bag over to Jahnee and they both made a hasty retreat from the area. Checking his watch, Carl knew that it was almost time for them to rendezvous back at the place where they had hidden the car; Daryl and his father would be waiting for them.

Just as the teens rounded the corner of one of the buildings that had succumb to decrepitude, they saw Rick with his arm outstretched and his gun pointing to the head of a strange person. It was a man, who was presently keeling before Rick with his hands raised in the air; his back to the man wielding the revolver and wearing a focussed expression on his face. Carl and Jahnee shared a momentary look and then sprinted over to where the scene was unfolding.

"What happened?" asked Carl of his father; Rick stood up straighter and kept his eyes trained keenly on the stranger.

"He was trailin' us before. Tried to trick us and steal our stuff. He's lucky I didn't put a bullet between his eyes," said Rick as Daryl glared at the man and then turned his attention to his friend; Carl looked at Daryl then at Jahnee.

"Did you ask him the questions?" Carl queried.

Rick shook his head as the younger Grimes let his rucksack fall to the dusty ground; he then tucked his knife back into its holder.

"What's your name?" Carl asked, stepping in front of the man so that he could look into his eyes.

The man smirked and said, "You're just a kid."

"_What_ is your name?" asked Rick as he stepped closer; not wanting the man to undermine or underestimate Carl because of his age.

"I'm Paul," he answered, keeping his eyes on Carl. "Paul Rovia, but my friends call me Jesus."

"Alright, Jesus. Since they were kind enough to let you live, I'm assuming you must be an okay guy," said Carl as he folded his arms over his chest. "So tell me, how many walkers have you killed?"

…..

"You sure you're okay with this?" asked Daryl while he and Rick stood staring into the cell at the man who called himself Jesus.

"Yeah. He's gotta learn to do it at some point. May as well start now," said Rick as both men looked at Carl and nodded.

"Still don't know why you had to pistol whip him," said Carl as his father shrugged.

"Better than shootin' him," replied Rick. "Besides, he didn't answer the questions; but you can try again when he wakes up."

xXxXx

The soft light from the kerosene lamp cast shadows on Rick's face as he lay beside Michonne in their quarters. He traced invisible shapes over the bare skin on her upper arm as she studied his features. His face was lined from worry and a few scars remained from the battles he had fought. His sad eyes, though weary, still sparkled when he looked at her; they were still intense. The comfortable silence that passed between them was a gift in a world of uncertainty; Rick broke it when he saw Michonne smile.

"What?" he asked, his hand leaving her arm and resting on her swollen belly where their child continued to grow.

"Nothing," she answered. "I just love you."

Now Rick smiled before saying, "And I love you too."

He leaned down and kissed her lips gently.

"I was a little worried when you went out with Carl and Jahnee today," she admitted as he looked at her questioningly.

"Not because you guys can't handle yourselves, but every time you and Carl go together, I just, I don't know, I worry even more," she said, placing her hand over Rick's.

"Darlin', you don't have to worry about us," Rick whispered. "He's a tough kid; he had my back. And he has to learn to think on his feet out there. Be stronger. Better."

"I know," said Michonne as she squeezed Rick's hand. "But I still worry."

"Like I said, you don't have to," he offered reassuringly.

"You can tell me until you're blue in the face, Grimes, but you know damn well you're my two favorite guys. I have to worry," said Michonne, he hand snaking up Rick's arm; she then threaded her fingers through his hair.

Rick dipped his head and brought his lips to hers once more; he shifted closer to Michonne and deepened their kiss. His tongue moved slowly over her perfectly plump lips and his hand gripped her backside. They broke the kiss a moment and kept their faces only inches apart; her breath felt warm on his skin.

"You tryin' to start something?" she whispered, her rich voice deep and smooth.

"Just tryin' to get your mind off all o' that worry," said Rick as he shifted his mouth to her neck and trailed kisses down to her collarbone.

"Hmmm," said Michonne as she took hold of Rick's hand and slipped it into her pajama pants. "It's working."

Rick grunted as he ran his fingers over her heated center; her body pliant and ready for him. He began to massage her, relishing in the moisture that pooled between her thighs; she widened her hips to grant his better access as their mouths met again in a more fervent kiss. Michonne's fingers stroking his curls while pulling Rick closer; his body and growing desire pressed to her. She shifted so that she was now wrapping her legs around his hips. Rick broke free of the kiss and lifted himself up.

"What?" asked Michonne as she reached for the hem of his pant, eager to take his length in her hand.

He sighed and gestured to her abdomen that swelled with the life of their unborn child.

"I don't want to hurt you or the baby," he said as he adjusted himself.

Now Michonne sighed and leaned on her elbows.

"Rick, we've talked about this. It's fine. You're not gonna hurt either of us. Now come here," she pleaded, reaching into his pants and taking hold of his hardness.

Rick's eyes rolled shut and he almost forgot that he was trying to be careful.

"Don't you want me?" she teased.

"Of course I want you," Rick said as her hand moved up and down his shaft.

"Then have me," said Michonne as she stopped her ministrations and began to pull her pants off; he quickly helped her discard them.

Rick felt his manhood twitching when he watched Michonne touch herself lightly; she smiled devilishly at him and he lost all of his reservedness. Soon, his body covered hers as they came together just like many times before; there was nothing he would not do for this woman. As Michonne softly called his name while he thrust into her, careful not to be too rough in his need and desire, Rick knew he was happier with her than he had ever been in his previous life.

xXxXx

_Psst! Psst!_

Carl looked up from where his flashlight illuminated the page of the colorful comic book; he glanced over to where Paul Rovia slept in the makeshift cell before checking his watch. It was too early for someone to come and relieve him of his sentry duty, so Carl placed a cautious hand to his sidearm, placed his reading material on the chair and approached the door. He took his gun into his hand and then slowly cracked the door open; he let out a relieved sigh when he saw that it was Jahnee.

"What're you doing here?" he asked, stepping aside to let her in.

"I couldn't sleep and I knew you're gonna be here for at least another two hours, so I thought I'd keep you company," she explained, keeping her voice low.

Carl chuckled a little and walked back to where he was sitting; he did not return to his chair, but slid down to the floor instead. Jahnee took up a seat right next to him and then stared off into the darkened space when Jesus was sprawled out on the blue gymnasts' mat that doubled as a bed.

"So," she started. "This much be some boring-ass shit."

"You got that right," said Carl as he glanced sideways at her profile. "But I want to show my Dad that I can do whatever he asks me to."

"He asked you to take watch tonight?" Jahnee queried.

"Nah, I volunteered," the boy offered.

"You know you don't have to prove anything to him," said Jahnee as she looked at Carl. "He knows you're like, a superhero or something. You're so cool."

The teens smiled at one another and fell silent; Carl looked down at his hands.

"You're cool too," he said coyly. "I'm glad you came out with us today."

"Me too," Jahnee replied. "And thanks for the gum. I know Michonne likes the sweet stuff, so I really am thankful you shared your candy with me."

Carl smiled.

"We always share," he offered while staring into her eyes.

Jahnee held his gaze and smiled shyly at him; the light from the lamp in the corner flickered prettily in her dark brown eyes. Carl felt his heart begin to beat faster and a fluttering in his stomach; without thinking, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Suddenly, after what seemed like forever, Jahnee pulled away from Carl and then abruptly got to her feet. She placed her hand to her mouth and then turned and headed for the door.

"Jahnee? Where are you going?" asked Carl as he scrambled to his feet; unsure of what was happening.

She did not stop, but only looked over her shoulder apologetically.

"Jahnee, I…I'm sorry. Please, come back. I'm sorry," said Carl as he followed her outside; the flashlight throwing light in a shaky pattern on the ground because of the haste of the bearer.

"I have to go," said Jahnee as she turned to Carl, not stopping. "Sorry."

She let her head drop as she broke into a sprint and left Carl standing in the dark wondering why his first kiss had ended in his best friend running away from him.

"Shit," said Carl while he kicked the ground and then placed his hands behind his head. "Shit!"

Disheartened and confused, Carl turned and walked back to where his post was; he stepped inside and locked the door before trudging slowly back to where the chair was. Crossing his arms over his chest, Carl slumped into the seat; he lifted the flashlight and shined it over at the sleeping prisoner. Suddenly, the teen jumped up and rushed forward.

"Fuck!" he cursed when he noticed that the cell door was ajar and Jesus had disappeared.

* * *

A/N: Corrrrrraaalllllllllllllllllllllll!

LOL


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